THE  GIRL  AND 
THE  JOB 


BY 

HELEN   CHRISTENE  HOERLE 

It 

AND 

FLORENCE   B.    SALTZBERG 

of  the 

Vocational  Guidance  Committee 

Wadleigh  High  School 

New  York  City 


NEW  YORK 

HENRY   HOLT   AND   COMPANY 
1919 


COPTRIGHT,  1910 
BY 

HENKY  HOLT  AND  COMPANY 


THE   QUINN   *   BODCN   <XX 
RAMWAY,   M.  A 


TO  THE  GIRLS  OF  AMERICA,  WITH  THE  HOPE 
THAT  IT  MAY  AID  THEM  IN  FINDING  THEM- 
SELVES, THEIR  LIFE  WORK  AND  HAPPI- 
NESS, THIS  BOOK  IS  FONDLY  DEDICATED 


416559 


PREFACE— TO  GIRLS 

ABOUT  twenty-five  years  ago  there  lived  in  England  an 
old  gentleman  named  John  Ruskin  who  used  to  give 
very  inspiring  talks  to  young  people.  He  said  once, 
"  Whatever  else  you  may  be,  you  must  not  be  useless, 
and  you  must  not  be  cruel." 

Notice,  he  says  "  you  must  not  be  useless."  We  don't 
think  any  one  of  you  would  ever  wish  to  be  useless,  for 
all  girls  when  they  grow  up  wish  to  do  something.  Fate 
seems  rather  hard  on  some  girls,  for  it  compels  them 
to  work  in  the  world  sooner  than  they'd  wish  to,  to 
help  bring  money  home  to  the  family.  Even  if  you 
are  one  of  the  fortunate  girls  who  is  not  compelled  to 
leave  school  to  go  to  work,  you  may  be  sure  of  one  thing, 
that  the  day  will  come  when  you'll  feel  a  strong  desire 
to  have  money  earned  by  your  own  hands,  and  to  have  a 
job  of  your  own.  You'll  soon  ask  yourself,  "What 
shall  I  do  and  how  shall  I  do  it? " 

Let  us  allow  Ruskin  to  help  us  here.  "  There  are 
few  things  more  wonderful  to  me  than  that  old  people 
never  tell  young  ones  how  precious  their  youth  is.  They 
sometimes  sentimentally  regret  their  own  earlier  days ; 
sometimes  prudently  forget  them ;  often  foolishly  rebuke 
the  young,  often  more  foolishly  thwart  and  restrain; 
but  scarcely  ever  warn  or  watch  them.  Remember, 
then,  that  I  at  least  have  warned  you  that  the  happiness 


vi  PREFACE 

of  life,  and  its  power  and  its  part  and  rank  in  earth  or 
in  heaven,  depend  on  the  way  you  pass  your  days  now. 
They  are  not  to  be  sad  days;  far  from  that,  the  first 
duty  of  young  people  is  to  be  delighted  and  delightful ; 
but  they  are  to  be  in  the  deepest  sense  solemn  days.  .  .  . 
Now,  therefore,  see  that  no  day  passes  in  which  you  do 
not  make  yourself  a  somewhat  better  creature;  and  in 
order  to  do  that,  find  out  first  what  you  are  now." 

Before  answering  the  question,  "  What  am  I  going 
to  be  ?  "  find  out  what  you  are.  Do  some  hard  thinking 
on  the  subject  to  help  yourself  to  decide  what  kind  of 
work  in  the  world  you  are  best  fitted  for.  It  is  to  help 
"  to  warn  and  to  watch  "  that  this  little  book  is  written. 
You  all  know  at  least  one  girl,  and  some  know  many 
who  left  school  not  knowing  any  trade,  to  go  to  work. 
You  know  how  she  gets  one  job,  loses  it,  gets  another 
and  loses  that,  drifting  from  one  poorly  paid  job  to 
the  next.  This  book  aims  to  .save  you  from  such  job 
hunting, — to  teach  something  about  the  different  jobs 
girls  may  get,  and  the  way  to  fit  yourself  for  the  one 
you  think  you'd  like. 

Talk  over  what  you  find  in  the  book  with  your  parents 
and  with  your  teachers  in  order  to  seek  out  the  kind 
of  work  you  can  do  best  in  the  world.  They  are  eager 
to  help  you.  They  will  agree  with  us  that  our  finest 
amusements  grow  out  of  our  work,  if  we  are  rightly 
and  happily  occupied. 

H.  C.  H. 
F.  B.  S. 


INTKODUCTIOST 

THIS  book  is  intended  to  help  teachers  of  girls  in  the 
upper  grades  of  the  elementary  schools  and  in  the  first 
years  of  the  secondary  schools,  in  interesting  pupils  in 
their  choice  of  a  vocation. 

The  problem  of  guiding  pupils  in  their  choice  of  the 
work  which  they  are  to  perform  in  the  world  on  leaving 
school  is  one  that  confronts  every  teacher.  It  brings  us 
face  to  face  with  the  industrial  life  of  the  community. 
It  is  a  very  complex  problem  for  which  most  of  us,  from 
the  very  nature  of  our  daily  occupation,  have  very 
little  practical  preparation.  Yet,  not  one  of  us  would 
wish  to  leave  any  pupil  to  meet  alone  the  complexities 
of  modern  life  in  an  industrial  world. 

It  has  been  proposed  by  some  students  of  vocational 
guidance  that  teachers  should  wait  until  the  subject 
has  been  exhaustively  studied  and  formulated  by  ex- 
perts. On  the  other  hand,  we  must  remember  that  such 
studies  will  take  years,  after  the  demand  is  clear  and 
insistent. 

At  least  we  can  analyze  the  problems.  Such  an 
analysis  reveals : — first,  the  vocational  gifts  of  the  child ; 
second,  the  possibilities  and  demands  of  different  kinds 
of  work;  and  third,  the  adjustment  of  the  child  to  the 
work  chosen. 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

But  we  must  not  proceed  to  fit  children  for  industry 
on  the  assumption  that  all  occupations  are  now  fit  for 
the  children.  And  yet,  we  cannot  refuse  to  prepare 
children  for  efficiency  under  present  conditions  on  the 
ground  that  working  conditions  are  bad.  What  we  must 
do  is  to  prepare  our  young  people  to  give  their  best  and 
to  ask  a  fair  return  and  good  conditions  for  their  labor, 
— a  living  wage,  reasonable  hours,  clean  work  rooms, 
proper  provisions  for  health  and  sanitation,  protected 
machinery  and  compensation  for  injury.  * 

Vocational  guidance  must,  therefore,  include  analysis 
of  the  vocational  ability  of  the  child,  the  development 
of  this  ability  (vocational  training),  and  an  under- 
standing on  the  part  of  teacher  and  pupil  of  industrial 
conditions  at  present,  and  the  efforts  being  made  by 
public  and  private  agencies  for  their  improvement. 

An  anaylsis  of  vocational  ability  must  have  the  aid 
of  the  psychologists.  This  field  of  study  is  attracting 
more  students  every  year,  and  there  is  reason  to  hope  for 
fairly  adequate  tests  of  vocational  ability  within  a  few 
years,  with  such  laboratories  and  equipment  for  their 
application  as  may  be  necessary,  in  addition  to  the 
practical  tests  which  may  be  made  in  the  actual  work  in 
vocational  courses.  Important  work  along  this  line 
is  now  being  done  by  Professor  Thorndike  at  Columbia 
University.  Reports  on  his  work  mav  be  obtained 
through  the  New  York  Association  for  Vocational 
Guidance. 

Vocational  training  has  been  effectively  advertised 


INTRODUCTION  k 

for  several  years  and  now  plays  an  important  part  in 
the  curriculum  of  most  schools.  It  is  for  us  to  find  the 
vocational  courses  offered  and  to  make  the  information 
available  for  our  pupils. 

There  are  numerous  studies  in  vocational  guidance 
available.  We  mention  just  a  few  by  way  of  suggestion: 

A  committee  of  the  Women's  Educational  and  In- 
dustrial Union  of  Boston  in  1910  made  a  study  of 
vocational  schools  in  Boston  which  was  edited  by  Agnes 
F.  Perkins  and  is  a  model  of  its  kind.  The  Henry 
Street  Settlement,  New  York  City,  prepared  (in  June, 
1918)  a  valuable  directory  of  vocational  schools  in  New 
York.  These  studies  of  vocational  schools  and  courses 
in  Boston  and  New  York  are  available  to  all.  Similar 
studies  may  be  made  with  much  less  difficulty  in  small- 
er communities.  Reports  of  such  surveys  should  give 
information  as  to  where  vocational  courses  are  offered, 
the  requirements  for  admission,  the  subjects  taught,  the 
length  of  each  course  and  the  cost  of  tuition.  The 
report  on  vocational  training  (Child  Labor  Bulletin 
No.  1:  46,  June,  1912),  made  by  Mrs.  Alice  B.  Fer- 
nandez for  the  Public  Education  Association  of  New 
York,  is  suggestive  of  the  type  which  must  become 
available  when  the  demand  is  sufficiently  formulated. 

The  most  reliable  studies  of  occupations  for  women 
in  the  United  States  are,  we  believe,  those  which  were 
made  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  Committee  on 
Women's  Work, — these  reports  are  based  on  investiga- 
tions of.  conditions  in  many  shops,  but  unfortunately 


x  INTRODUCTION 

they  cover  but  a  few  trades.  If  these  reports  were, 
however,  put  in  popular  form,  prefaced  by  an  account 
of  the  methods  used  in  securing  and  assembling  the  in- 
formation, they  would  establish  a  much  needed  standard. 

This  book  like  the  others,  has  been  made  up  chiefly 
from  reports  and  interviews  with  people  who  have  suc- 
ceeded in  their  chosen  occupations.  But  we  have  tried 
to  study  in  every  case  the  opportunities  which  the  oc- 
cupation presents  to  the  average  girl.  We  offer  this 
little  book  as  a  supplement  to  the  earnest,  kindly,  but 
not  always  intelligent  advice  of  the  average  parent, 
teacher  or  friend.  We  offer  it,  too,  in  the  hope  that 
spreading  information  among  girls  about  occupations 
that  do  not  yield  a  living  wage  or  offer  any  chances  of 
advancement,  may  deter  many  of  them  from  leaving 
school  needlessly  (as  they  frequently  do)  to  increase  the 
hordes  of  unskilled  workers. 

We  are  deeply  indebted  to  the  following  people,  whose 
assistance  has  made  this  book  possible.  They  gave  us 
freely  of  their  knowledge  of  their  own  professions,  in 
order  that  we  might  pass  it  on  to  the  school  girl  to  help 
her  on  her  way.  Names  are  omitted  by  request  for 
certain  occupations. 


Alexander,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Real  Estate  Agent 

Baker,  Mrs.  Fanny  Munsell         Stenographer  &  office  worker 

Baker,  Hettie  Grey  Film  editor 

Barringer,  Emily,  M.D.  Physician 

Baumann,  Anna  G.  Bookkeeper 

Brazier,  Emma  Musician 

Brice,  Elizabeth  Actress 


INTRODUCTION 


Brinkley,  J.  M. 

Bryner,  Edna  Clare 

Buell,  Mabel 

Buras,  William  J. 

Carson,  Miss 

Chapman,  Josephine  Wright 

Dean,  Edith 

Dean,  Ruth 

Dingman,  Florence,  D.D. 

Dutcher,  Elizabeth 

Goodyear,  Caroline 

Hanson,  Gladys 

Harris,  Dr.  S.  M. 

Jarrett,  Elizabeth,  M.D. 

Johnson,  Mrs.  M.  H.  M. 

Klaier,  Edna 

Lewis,  Edna  B. 

Loomis,  Helen 

Marche,  Gazelle 

Marten,  Cornelia 

Meade,  Hettie  Rhoda 

Miller,  Theodosia 

Olmstead,  Miriam 

Ormsbee,  Mary 

Rose,  Ernestine 

Robb,  Julia 

Schenck,  Mary  L.  Phg. 

Shannon,  Bess  Lois 

Selby,  Lillian 

Spiro,  Mrs.  Louis 

Svenson,  Miss 

Toedt,  Marion 

Toner,  Anna  S. 

Loose  Wiles  Biscuit  Factory 

Phipps  Hat  Co. 

Melachrino  Cigarette  Co. 


Employment  agent 

Statistician 

Scenic  Artist 

Detective 

Tea  room  proprietor 

Architect 

Designer 

Landscape  gardener 

Dentist 

Department  store  worker 

Social  worker 

Actress 

Optometrist 

Physician 

Purchasing  agent 

Dietitian 

Insurance  agent 

Designer 

Model 

Demonstrator 

Interior  decorator 

Tea  room  proprietor 

Bacteriologist 

Journalist 

Librarian 

Hat  designer 

Pharmacist 

Press  agent 

Photographer 

Hair  dresser  and  manicurist 

Telegrapher 

Social  worker 

Telephone  operator 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

PREFACE — To  GIRLS        .       ,       .       .      .       •      •       ••       » '  v 

INTRODUCTION    .       .      >       .       .       .       •       ••      •       .       .  vii 

THE  BUSINESS  FIELD     .    .  »              .       .       *       •       •       •  3 
OFFICE  WORKERS: 

The  Office  Girl         .       ,       „       .       .       .       .       »       .  6 

The  File  Clerk         .       ...       .       *     ( .       ...  7 

The  Typist         *       .      '.       .       .       .     '  ,       .       .       .  8 

The  Dictaphone  Operator      .     , v;  9 

The  Stenotypist 9 

The  Multigrapher     .       .       .....       .       .       *  10 

The  Stenographer    .       .     .  .       .       .      ...       .       .  II 

The  Public  Stenographer       .       .     ,  .       .       .       .  15 

The  Private  Secretary    ...»       .       .       .       .       .  17 

The  Bookkeeper        .       ...       .       .       .       .       ,       .  19 

The  Accountant        ..,...,,..       .       .        .  21 

The  Cashier       .       .       *       .       ....*.  22 

DEPARTMENT  STORE  WORKERS: 

The  Cash  Girl       •  >       .       .       .       .       ...     *       .  26 

The  Stock  Girl         ...       .       .....       .  27 

The  Saleswoman       .       ^       .       .       *       .       .       .       .  27 

The  Buyer          .f .30 

The  Professional  Shopper .  32 

The  Demonstrator    .       .        .       .       .       ...       .  34 

HOTEL  WORKERS: 

The  Floor  Clerk 39 

The  Desk  Clerk        .       .       .       ,       .       .       .       .        .  40 

The  Room  Clerk       ...»       .       ....  40 

The  Cafe"  Cashier     ...     ' .       .       .       .       .       .       .  41 

The  Food  Checker   .       ...       ...       .       .       .  41 

The  Waitress    .       ...       ....       .       „  41 

xiii 


xiv  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

AGENCY  WORK: 

The  Employment  Agent 45 

The  Real  Estate  Agent 48 

The  Insurance  Agent      .        .       .....       .50 

The  Advertising  Agent          .       .       ...       .       .  63 

The  Press  Agent .  56 

The  Advance  Agent        .       .       .       .     •  r       .       .       .  59 

The  Booking  Agent         .       .       ...       *       ..       .  62 

MISCELLANEOUS  BUSINESS  OPPORTUNITIES  : 

The  Telephone  Operator         .......  66 

The  Telegraph  Operator        .     < ,      •  .       ,       .        .        .  69 

The  Elevator  Operator         •  .     •  .       .       .       .        .        .  72 

The  Tea  Room  Manager 73 

The  Florist 76 

The  Model 80 

The  Dressmaker       ....       .       .       .       .       .  85 

The  Milliner     .       .'     .       .       .       .       .       .       .        .  88 

The  Hair  Dresser ...  92 

The  Manicurist        .       .       .     ••  '     .    .   ....  94 

The  Theater  Treasurer          .       .      "...       .       .  96 

The  Usher ;.       .       .       .  98 

The  Detective           .       .       v 99 

The  Commercial  Traveler 103 

THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN: 

The  Home  Maker 106 

The  Dietitian 110 

The  Social  Worker 113 

The  Nurse 115 

The  Physician 120 

The  Oculist 123 

The  Dentist 125 

The  Pharmacist .       .128 

The  Bacteriologist 130 

The  Newspaper  Woman 133 

The  Writer 137 

The  Teacher 149 

The  Librarian                .                     159 


CONTENTS  xv 

PAGE 

The  Lawyer 163 

The  Statistician 166 

ARTS  AND  THE  GIEL: 

The  Jeweler      .       .       .       .    e  .    . 170 

The  Interior  Decorator         ..       . 172 

The  Landscape  Gardener       , 174 

The  Architect .       .       .177 

The  Photographer    .  .      .  .       .       ...       .       .       .     181 

The  Costume  Illustrator  .       .       ...       .        .183 

The  Magazine  Illustrator  .       .       •  •'.    •       •       •        •     185 

The  Novelty  Painter       .  ....       i       .       .        .188 

The  Scenic  Artist    .       .  .       .       .       .       .       .        .190 

The  Musician ,       .       ./,     >     ...     193 

The  Pianist      .       .       .  •.       .       .       ,       »       •        -     198 

The  Actress      .       ,       .  .       .       /     .  •     .       .       .200 

THE  GIBL  IN  INDUSTRY: 

Factory  Workers     ;       .       .       .       .       .       .       .        .  208 

The  Paper  Box  Maker  .       .       ....       .       .  212 

The  Candy  Maker   .*.„.....  214 

The  Biscuit  Maker          .       .       .       .       .       .       .       .  216 

The  Cigarette  Worker   .       .       .       ...       .       .       .  219 

The  Hat  Maker       .       .       , 221 

The  Clothing  Maker       .        .       .       .       .       .       .       .224 

The  Printing  and  Bindery  Worker     ....       .  228 

1   The  Laundry  Worker     .        ...       ....       .  232 

The  Motion  Picture  Industry      .       .       .       .       .       .  235 

The  Farmer      /      .      '.       .       .       .       .       »       .       .  243 

THE  GIBL  IN  BUSINESS: 

The  City  Girl           .       .       .       .       .       .       .,       .       .  251 

The  Small  Town  Girl     ........  254 

The  Country  Girl    .......       .       .       .       .  258 

INDEX        .       .       .      ...      .;      M      M      M     ...      .      ...      .  265 


THE  GIRL  AND  THE  JOB 


THE  BUSINESS  FIELD 

THE  business  world  offers  the  broadest  field  of  work  for 
the  average  girl  who  does  not  or  cannot  go  to  college  for 
highly  specialized  training.  There  is  hardly  a  business 
house,  no  matter  how  small,  that  does  not  have  a  cashier 
or  a  stenographer.  Although  at  one  time  all  such  posi- 
tions were  held  by  men,  at  present  nearly  all  are  held  by 
girls.  We  shall,  therefore,  consider  some  of  the  op- 
portunities and  problems  which  the  business  field 
presents  to  girls. 

One  of  the  first  questions  to  be  faced,  is  whether 
the  girl  wants  to  become  ultimately  an  employer  her- 
self, or  remain  an  employee  indefinitely. 

Some  people  work  much  better  under  direction  than 
on  their  own  initiative,  whereas  others  accomplish  more 
if  they  can  make  their  own  plans.  The  girl  who  is 
willing  to  accept  responsibility,  anxiety  and  uncertainty 
of  success,  may  attempt  to  establish  herself  in  a  business 
of  her  own.  She  must  be  ready  to  face  the  possibility 
of  failure  and  of  losing  all  she  possesses.  In  return  for 
this  risk,  she  will  have  the  privilege  of  working  out  her 
own  ideas  and  the  opportunity  of  doing  the  work  for 
which  she  may  believe  she  is  best  fitted. 

There  is,  perhaps,  as  good  a  chance  for  a  woman  today 
to  establish  herself  in  an  independent  business  as  there 

3 


TH^  BUSINESS  FIELD 

equipped  with  intelligence,  courage  and  perseverance, 
has  many  fields  from  which  to  choose. 

The  first  requisite  is  experience,  as  florist,  employ- 
ment agent,  or  tea  room  proprietor,  etc.  Years  of  ap- 
prenticeship in  a  business,  full  knowledge  of  the 
conditions  of  supply  and  demand,  and  some  capital 
make  a  good  foundation  for  success  in  business.  The 
girl  just  out  of  school  who  desires  eventually  to  establish 
herself  in  a  business  of  her  own,  should  select  the  field 
that  attracts  her  most,  and  seek  a  position  there. 

A  small  salary  at  first,  provided  she  can  live  on  it 
without  loss  of  health,  should  not  deter  the  girl  from 
going  into  business.  She  should  remember  she  is  work- 
ing for  experience.  It  is  better  to  begin  in  the  lowest 
position  and  work  her  way  up,  than  to  secure  a  reason- 
ably good  position  and  remain  in  it.  The  latter  will 
afford  the  girl  less  opportunity  of  learning  the  business. 

If  she  have  an  opportunity  to  save  and  if  she  have 
the  necessary  personal  qualities  of  ambition  and  initia- 
tive, the  time  will  come  when  she  will  feel  justified  in 
striking  out  for  herself. 

Of  course,  before  attempting  to  establish  a  new  busi- 
ness in  any  neighborhood,  one  must  know  that  such  a 
business  is  needed  there.  No  matter  how  well  one  may 
be  prepared  to  do  a  certain  thing,  it  is  most  foolish  to 
attempt  it  unless  the  girl  is  convinced  that  there  is 
need  of  what  she  can  do.  In  selecting  the  neighborhood 
in  which  she  will  open  her  shop,  let  us  say,  she  must 
consider  whether  it  is  well-to-do  or  poor,  whether  she 


THE  BUSINESS  FIELD  6 

may  expect  to  make  few  sales  at  large  profits  or  whether 
she  must  make  many  sales  at  small  profit,  in  order  to 
make  her  business  pay. 

She  must  of  course  consider  the  items  of  rent,  light, 
printing,  help,  replenishing  of  stock  and  a  hundred 
other  details  which  may  seem  too  small  to  bother  about 
but  loom  large  when  the  bills  come  in. 

There  are  many  things  that  girls  may  sell  profitably. 
Those  that  we  are  most  familiar  with,  are  cooked  food, 
clothes,  and  flowers.  Novelty  shops  pay  better  in  small 
towns  than  in  New  York,  though  in  New  York  many 
women  are  successfully  maintaining  lingerie  shops  in 
residential  sections.  An  enterprising  woman  in  Mont- 
clair  serves  dinners  to  people  in  their  own  homes,  mak- 
ing a  great  success  in  a  new  field. 

We  must  not  overlook  the  fact  that  while  the  choice 
of  whether  they  may  be  employers  or  employees  is  un- 
doubtedly open  to  some  girls,  to  many,  many  others 
there  is  but  one  thing  possible, — work  for  some  one  else. 
Society  has  not  so  far  developed  that  equal  opportunity 
is  open  for  all,  but  with  the  further  organization  of 
business  and  its  more  democratic  control,  we  may  be 
sure  there  will  soon  be  more  equal  opportunity.  Per- 
haps the  great  influx  of  women  into  world  work  is  to 
be  one  of  the  factors  in  bringing  about  this  growth. 

In  the  next  chapters,  we  shall  tell  you  about  several 
kinds  of  work  in  which  women  have  achieved  prosperity, 
discussing  first,  the  various  positions  open  to  girls  in 
a  business  office. 


OFFICE  WORKERS 

THE   OFFICE   GIRL 

IN  every  town  and  city  there  are  business  offices, 
in  nearly  every  one  of  which  at  least  one  girl  is  em- 
ployed. The  office  girl  is  fast  succeeding  the  office  boy. 

An  office  girl  works  seven  or  eight  hours  a  day, 
making  herself  generally  useful.  She  runs  errands, 
addresses  envelopes,  stamps  letters,  attends  to  the  mail, 
receives  callers,  delivers  cards  of  introduction  and  in 
every  way  tries  to  see  what  she  can  do  to  aid  others. 
She  usually  has  a  half  day  Saturday  and  receives  a  two 
weeks'  vacation  in  the  summer. 

Many  firms  today  are  utilizing  the  services  of  girls 
from  14  to  16  instead  of  the  much  joked  about,  gum- 
chewing  office  boy.  Girls  are  more  willing  and  cheer- 
ful, less  impertinent  and  lazy.  However  girls  are  not 
always  as  strong  as  boys  and  girls  of  this  age  are  more 
apt  to  be  absent  because  of  illness  than  boys;  although 
in  summer  a  boy  generally  loses  some  time  going  to  base- 
ball games.  Moreover,  girls  usually  stay  in  a  position 
longer  than  boys  and  therefore  are  more  liable  to 
rapid  advancement.  Weighing  the  pros  and  cons  in 
the  balance,  the  affair  works  out  in  favor  of  the  office 
girl. 

6 


THE  FILE  CLERK  2 

THE   FILE   CLERK 

In  a  few  weeks  or  months  if  she  evinces  ambition  she 
may  prepare  herself  to  become  a  filing  clerk.  Not  so 
very  long  ago,  filing  was  considered  merely  a  necessary 
evil, — a  method  of  getting  mail  out  of  the  way.  But 
today  filing  is  rather  a  complicated  matter  to  the  un- 
initiated, and  many  filing  clerks  in  large  establishments 
are  graduates  of  Schools  of  Filing. 

When  a  girl  rises  from  the  ranks  and  learns  the  filing 
system  used  by  the  firm  for  which  she  is  working,  she 
sometimes  becomes  as  efficient  as  if  she  had  taken  a 
course  and  her  salary  is  increased  accordingly. 

The  course  in  a  filing  school  is  usually  four  weeks 
and  costs  between  $30  and  $40.  Upon  completing  the 
course,  the  school  places  the  graduate  in  a  position  which 
pays  approximately  $15  weekly. 

Girls  who  have  taken  the  filing  course  may  ultimately 
receive  a  salary  of  $30  a  week  while  the  girls  who  do 
not  take  the  course  usually  receive  from  $10  to  $18 
a  week. 

Having  advanced  from  the  position  of  office  girl  at 
which  she  received  about  $10  a  week  (a  few  years  ago 
she  would  have  gotten  about  $6)  to  the  work  of  file 
clerk,  the  ambitious  girl  may  go  even  further. 

A  few  women  of  exceptional  ability  have  made  a 
success  of  organizing  filing  systems,  introducing  them 
into  various  offices,  and  giving  such  supervision  as  is 
necessary  from  time  to  time,  to  keep  the  files  in  good 


8  OFFICE  WORKERS 

working  order.  For  this  they  are  paid  a  comparatively 
small  fee  by  each  concern,  but  their  total  annual  in- 
come may  be  large.  This  work  often  entails  traveling 
from  place  to  place  which  makes  it  most  interesting. 

THE  TYPIST 

While  a  girl  is  working  as  an  office  assistant,  she  can 
study  typewriting  in  the  evening  either  at  a  public  or 
a  private  school.  As  soon  as  she  is  able  to  do  neat  and 
rapid  work,  she  can  secure  a  position  as  copyist,  billing 
clerk  or  dictaphone  operator.  Later  she  may  study 
stenography  or  stenotyping  as  she  has  studied  typewrit- 
ing. Then  if  she  works  untiringly  and  with  a  definite 
aim  in  view,  she  may  become  a  private  secretary  or 
office  manager. 

The  typist  must  be  accurate,  neat  and  rapid.  Her 
duties  are  to  copy  Manuscript,  fill  in  index  cards,  ad- 
dress envelopes,  copy  plays,  letters,  etc.  For  this  she 
will  receive  from  $12  to  possibly  $20  a  week.  Typists 
who  are  specially  accurate  and  specialize  on  insurance 
or  accounting  work  are  in  great  demand  and  there  are 
many  positions  open  to  them  at  $18  and  $20  a  week. 
The  work,  however,  is  most  monotonous  and  no  matter 
how  good  a  typist  a  girl  is,  she  usually  endeavors  to 
study  stenography  so  that  she  may  be  able  to  alternate 
her  work. 


THE  DICTAPHONE  OPERATOR  9 

THE  DICTAPHONE  OPERATOR 

The  dictaphone  operator  typewrites  letters,  etc.,  not 
from  the  dictation  of  her  employer  but  from  the  dicta- 
tion of  a  phonograph-like  machine  into  which  the  busi- 
ness man  talks  and  dictates  his  letters.  The  dictaphone 
operator  then  adjusts  the  machine  to  her  ears  and  type- 
writes the  letters  as  dictated  by  the  records.  When  she 
has  finished  a  record  it  is  placed  aside  and  later  scraped 
clean  by  another  machine  and  put  away  for  future  use. 
Acute  hearing  and  steady  nerves  are  required  for  this 
work.  The  salaries  average  the  same  as  stenographic 
work,  from  $12  to  $20  a  week,  the  hours  and  the  vaca- 
tions being  those  of  the  usual  business  office. 

THE  STENOTYPIST 

Just  a  few  years  ago  a  new  machine  was  placed  on 
the  market  which  opened  another  field  to  the  girl  just 
out  of  school.  To  the  girl  who  finds  office  work  appeal- 
ing but  to  whom  the  mental  feat  of  learning  stenography 
is  nothing  short  of  a  miracle,  the  stenotype  will  be  a 
welcome  invention.  The  stenotype  is  built  on  the  same 
general  lines  as  a  typewriter,  except  that  the  action  is 
simpler.  By  using  combinations  of  letters,  this  machine 
records  a  kind  of  stenography  on  the  typewriter. 

Stenotyping  may  be  studied  in  connection  with  type- 
writing, at  any  good  business  school.  To  learn  to  write 
correctly  with  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  words  per 
minute  as  a  fair  speed,  and  to  learn  typewriting  at  the 


10  OFFICE  WORKERS 

same  time,  requires  from  three  to  eight  months.  The 
course  costs  about  $12  a  month.  Experienced  typists 
who  desire  to  learn  the  stenographic  code,  could  prob- 
ably acquire  it  in  a  month's  evening  course  (usually 
three  lessons  a  week)  at  a  cost  of  $5  a  month.  A 
girl  who  takes  up  stenotyping,  must  buy  her  own  ma- 
chine which  costs  $100. 

Stenotypists  earn  from  $12  to  $25  a  week.  One 
decided  advantage  in  using  this  special  machine  is  that 
an  expert  stenotypist  can  take  sufficient  dictation  to 
keep  six  ordinary  typists  busy.  Another  is  that  any 
stenotypist  can  read  another's  notes — a  thing  which  is 
frequently  impossible  in  stenography. 

THE    MULTIGRAPHER 

The  important  process  of  duplicating  typewritten 
letters  is  called  multigraphing.  As  the  multigrapher 
needs  some  mechanical  skill,  men  are  often  employed 
for  this  work,  but  more  girls  are  entering  this  branch 
of  office  work  daily.  Any  girl  who  has  a  mechanical 
turn  of  mind  and  who  is  not  afraid  to  soil  her  hands, 
can  become  a  successful  multigrapher. 

It  usually  takes  from  two  to  three  weeks  to  learn 
the  construction  of  the  machine,  to  set  the  type,  and  to 
operate  the  machine  with  facility.  The  work  may  be 
learned  at  the  office  of  the  firm  which  manufactures  the 
machine  or  in  an  office  where  the  machine  is  used. 
Multigraphers  receive  from  $10  to  $18  weekly. 

Office  work  attracts  many  girls  because  they  may 


THE  STENOGRAPHER  11 

easily  obtain  a  position  without  spending  any  time, 
money  or  energy  on  training.  But  if  the  girl  doing 
office  work  does  not  try  to  progress — to  earn  more  and 
to  make  something  worth  while  of  herself,  she  will  find 
that  she  will  always  be  "  just  an  office  worker."  But  if 
she  applies  herself  to  study  at  night,  if  she  cannot  afford 
the  time  during  the  day,  and  strives  to  better  herself, 
she  will  be  able  to  do  so. 

THE  STENOGRAPHER 

Next  to  teaching,  stenography  may  be  said  to  be  the 
most  generally  "  acceptable  "  occupation  for  girls.  This 
means  that  it  is  considered  "  respectable  and  ladylike  " 
work  for  which  almost  any  girl  can  fit  herself.  This 
of  course  attracts  to  stenography  hundreds  and  thou- 
sands of  girls  who  have  no  definite  ideas  of  what  their 
capabilities  are  and  no  desire  to  study  themselves  care- 
fully or  to  develop  their  best  gifts.  It  goes  without 
saying  that  there  are  also  stenographers  who  are  gifted 
by  nature  to  do  this  work,  and  who  have  put  their  best 
efforts  into  educating  themselves  for  it  by  study  at 
school  and  by  experience.  These  are  few;  the  former 
many. 

While  the  casual  observer  will  tell  you  that  the  field 
of  stenography  is  overrun  with  workers,  one  who  has  had 
long  experience  in  business  life  will  say  that  there  are 
too  few  good  stenographers.  It  is  true  that  many  busi- 
ness firms  require  speed  above  everything  else.  Neat- 
ness, accuracy  and  good  English  certain  business  houses 


12  OFFICE  WORKERS 

do  not  demand.  It  should  be  said  that  when  they  only 
require  speed,  it  is  all  they  pay  for.  And  speed  alone 
is  not  rated  as  a  high-priced  qualification. 

Most  business  houses  prefer  a  stenographer  whose 
work  is  exquisitely  neat,  whose  English  is  faultless, 
who  can  be  relied  on  absolutely  to  follow  directions, 
and  who  will  take  some  responsibility  when  no  direc- 
tions are  given.  There  are  few  such  stenographers  in 
the  big  cities,  perhaps  it  would  be  fairer  to  say,  in  New 
York.  Business  concerns  seeking  stenographers  some- 
times specify  that  they  wish  a  girl  educated  outside 
New  York  City,  for  she  is  much  more  likely  to  have 
initiative  and  a  general  good  training  than  the  girl  from 
New  York. 

Stenography  includes  a  knowledge  of  both  shorthand 
and  typewriting.  Letter  writing,  spelling  and  grammar 
are  other  subjects  which  a  Business  School  teaches  in 
a  stenographic  course.  Education  equivalent  to  the 
grammar  school  course  will  admit  to  a  Business  School. 
But  high  school  and  college  graduates  stand  a  much 
better  chance  of  rapid  advancement. 

The  usual  time  consumed  in  studying  stenography  is 
from  eight  to  ten  months,  at  a  cost  of  from  $100  to 
$150  at  a  good,  reliable  school.  The  hours  of  the  school 
day  are  about  the  same  as  in  public  schools.  However, 
there  are  in  many  cities  schools  supported  by  private 
donations  where  a  girl  may  receive  practically  the  same 
training,  and  pay  only  for  books.  Other  schools  provide 
even  the  books  for  their  free  students.  In  many  high 


THE  STENOGRAPHER  13 

schools,  a  three  years'  commercial  course  is  offered. 
Here  the  student  will  study,  besides  what  the  business 
college  offers,  business  arithmetic,  a  foreign  language, 
and  English,  as  well  as  many  of  the  general  high  school 
subjects.  There  are,  too,  night  schools  where  stenog- 
raphy is  taught,  affording  an  opportunity  to  ambitious 
factory  and  store  workers  to  prepare  for  entrance  into 
a  new  field. 

All  these  schools  issue  diplomas  and  many  of  them 
place  their  students  in  positions.  But  caution  must  be 
used  in  answering  advertisements  for  stenographers  as 
well  as  in  answering  any  kind  of  application  for  help 
wanted,  when  the  firm  is  not  well  known. 

To  the  girl  who,  on  leaving  elementary  school  or  high 
school,  wishes  to  select  a  business  school  where  she  may 
learn  stenography,  we  have  a  word  of  warning  to  offer. 
The  most  reliable  business  schools  do  not  make  a  practice 
of  sending  representatives  to  the  homes  of  graduates  to 
solicit  pupils.  Then,  too,  some  business  schools  promise 
to  secure  employment  for  their  pupils  when  they  finish 
the  course.  This  sounds  very  alluring.  There  seems  to 
be,  however,  among  some  business  schools  and  business 
houses  a  curious  system  of  rotation.  A  pupil  after 
graduation  from  her  course  will  be  given  a  position  as 
promised.  Then  after  a  month  or  two,  for  no  very  defi- 
nite reason,  she  will  be  discharged,  her  place  being 
filled  by  a  girl  just  graduated,  who,  too,  had  been  prom- 
ise^ a  position  by  the  school.  A  reliable  agency  can 
always  be  consulted  and  many  girls  secure  their  posi- 


14  OFFICE  WORKERS 

tions  through  the  employment  bureau  maintained  by 
typewriter  companies. 

A  good  way  to  obtain  confidence  in  yourself  and 
practical  business  experience  as  well,  is  to  get  a  job 
substituting  for  another  stenographer  away  on  her  vaca- 
tion or  sick.  Do  not  mind  the  amount  of  salary  while 
you  are  thus  filling  in.  After  working  for  a  week  or 
two,  your  employer  will  be  glad  to  give  you  a  letter 
setting  forth  your  qualifications  as  they  appear  to  him. 
If  you  have  done  good  work,  a  recommendation  to  that 
effect  will  help  greatly  in  getting  a  permanent  position. 

The  average  wage  for  beginners  who  have  had  no 
advantages  in  the  way  of  education  aside  from  the 
business  college  course,  are  from  $12  to  $15  a  week. 
Two  years  ago  a  girl  began  at  $8  but  salaries  are 
gradually  increasing.  After  three  or  four  years,  the 
stenographers  may  advance  to  $18  or  $20.  After  that 
her  salary  will  be  problematical.  It  may  be  she  will 
never  make  more.  But  if  she  is  with  a  firm  that  has  no 
use  for  the  better  work  which  she  wishes  to  do,  let  her 
try  to  get  a  position  elsewhere.  Good,  experienced 
stenographers  should  have  no  trouble  in  getting  from 
$20  to  $25  per  week.  The  best  educated  stenographers 
will  receive  in  time  $30  a  week,  rarely  more.  They  may, 
however,  graduate  into  private  secretaries  for  their 
employers. 

A  vacation  of  a  week  or  two  with  pay  will  usually  be 
given  stenographers.  Hours  vary  from  the  usual  nine 
to  five  with  Saturday  afternoons  off  (which  many  com- 


THE  PUBLIC  STENOGRAPHER  15 

mercial  houses  in  New  York  give)  to  the  small  city 
business  firm  which  requires  work  from  eight  to  six,  six 
days  a  week.  When  a  girl  is  young  and  strong,  she 
need  not  mind  a  position  with  long  hours  if  she  feels 
she  is  gaining  valuable  experience  and  training  which 
will  enable  her  to  better  herself  soon.  But  nothing 
except  economic  necessity  should  make  a  girl  willing 
to  stay  where  the  work  is  unreasonably  exacting,  es- 
pecially if  she  is  not  getting  much  more  out  of  it  than 
a  meager  salary. 

Neatness,  accuracy,  precision,  a  good  general  educa- 
tion and  a  clear  head  are  necessary  for  success  as  a  well- 
paid  stenographer. 

THE  PUBLIC  STENOGRAPHER 

To  the  girl  who  has  been  successful  in  stenography  and 
who,  after  a  few  years  of  experience,  desires  to  be  her 
own  boss,  public  stenography  offers  an  interesting  oppor- 
tunity. To  be  a  successful  public  stenographer,  a  girl 
must  have  tact,  business  ability,  a  little  capital  which 
she  is  willing  to  risk,  and  a  certain  amount  of  financial 
backing. 

As  the  name  implies,  a  public  stenographer  is  one 
who  works,  not  for  a  private  firm  or  an  individual,  but 
for  any  one  who  may  desire  her  services. 

When  a  new  building  is  being  erected,  a  stenographer 
who  desires  to  open  an  office,  takes  a  lease  on  an  office 
in  that  building,  with  the  concession  of  having  a  card 
\vith  PUBLIC  STENOGRAPHER  and  the  number  of 


16  OFFICE  WORKERS 

her  room  in  all  the  corridors  and  in  every  elevator.  The 
added  concession  is  sometimes  granted  that  there  shall 
be  no  other  public  stenographer  in  the  building.  Thus 
she  assures  all  the  work  in  the  building  to  herself. 
People  often  prefer  having  their  work  done  under  the 
same  roof  with  their  offices,  as  it  saves  time  and  trouble. 

If  a  girl  can  not  afford  a  whole  office,  she  may 
hire  desk  room  in  another  office,  for  $12  to  $15  a 
month. 

A  public  stenographer  does  work  that  can  not  be 
handled  by  the  regular  office  staff.  Rush  work  is  given 
her.  Sometimes  when  a  man  can  not  afford  to  employ 
a  stenographer  by  the  week,  he  contracts  with  the  public 
stenographer  in  the  building  for  a  few  hours'  work  a 
day.  A  society  woman  sometimes  sends  for  the  public 
stenographer  whose  advertisement  she  has  seen  in  her 
husband's  office  building  or  the  telephone  book. 

As  a  public  stenographer,  a  girl  can  teach  all  she  has 
learned  herself  to  her  corps  of  assistants  as  they  grow 
in  numbers.  She  can  establish  a  reputation  of  having 
no  work  done  in  her  office  that  is  not  beautiful  and 
precise.  She  can  establish  a  reputation  of  always  send- 
ing to  the  society  matron  who  wishes  social  notes  written 
or  to  the  public  speaker  who  wishes  to  dictate  a  lecture, 
a  soft-voiced,  neatly  garbed,  accurate  young  woman  who 
does  work  that  is  uniformly  good.  There  aren't  too 
many  of  that  type  of  stenographer. 

In  most  hotels,  there  are  public  stenographers  who 
pay  the  hotel  a  certain  amount  a  month  for  desk  room; 


THE  PRIVATE  SECRETARY  17 

and  find  customers  among  the  hotel  guests.  The  small- 
town girl  if  she  be  ambitious,  may  easily  build  up  a 
comfortable  trade.  By  establishing  herself  in  the  local 
hotel,  paying  a  small  amount  for  desk  room,  she  could 
soon  command  the  trade  of  the  commercial  men  who  stop 
there.  Moreover,  few  business  men  in  a  very  small 
town  can  afford  a  full-time  stenographer  but  like  to 
have  their  few  letters  typewritten.  A  traveling  sales- 
man of  a  big  concern  told  of  an  experience  recently  that 

illustrates  this.     "  Last  year  when  I  was  in  !N~ ,  I 

wanted  to  send  an  order  to  the  firm,  but  in  that  whole 
town  I  couldn't  find  a  stenographer  to  take  the  letter. 
There  was  no  use  writing  it  myself;  the  firm  couldn't 

read  it.    I  lost  that  order.    When  I  went  to  N" ,  a 

few  months  ago,  there  was  a  girl  in  a  corner  of  the 
lobby,  well-established  as  a  public  stenographer.  She 
is  kept  so  busy  she's  there  some  nights  till  nine  o'clock. 
Then  for  days  she  has  little  to  do  but  to  rest  up  for 
work  when  it  comes." 

THE  PRIVATE  SECRETARY 

Of  the  various  uses  to  which  a  knowledge  of  typewrit- 
ing and  stenography  may  be  put,  perhaps  the  most 
lucrative  is  work  as  a  private  secretary. 

There  are,  now,  several  schools  which  make  a  spe- 
cialty of  preparing  girls  for  the  work  of  private 
secretary.  Columbia  University  offers  a  special  course, 
as  do  many  of  the  commercial  high  schools  of  the  coun- 
try. There  is  even  a  special  school  for  private  sec- 


18  OFFICE  WORKERS 

retaries  in  New  York.  In  these  courses  girls  are  trained1 
to  write  accurately  as  well  as  to  do  typewriting  and  to 
know  stenography.  A  girl,  on  entering  is  generally 
given  the  choice  of  training  for  work  as  private  secretary 
to  a  business  man,  or  as  social  secretary.  Both  courses 
presuppose  three  traits  of  character  aside  from  any 
technical  equipment, — tact,  a  sense  of  responsibility  and 
the  ability  to  deal  with  all  types  of  people. 

The  girl  who  becomes  private  secretary  to  a  business 
man  must  be  prepared  to  do  anything  and  everything 
from  jogging  along  an  employer  who  has  tendencies  to 
"leave  for  tomorrow  what  should  be  done  today,"  to 
taking  entire  charge  of  the  routine  work  of  the  office 
if  her  employer  goes  out  of  town.  She  must  be  able 
to  acquire  some  knowledge  of  the  technical  part  of  her 
employer's  work,  such  as  a  knowledge  of  law,  of  stocks, 
of  rubber  goods,  or  white  goods,  and  so  on, — in  short, 
to  make  herself  generally  helpful.  Of  course,  opening 
her  employer's  mail  and  answering  it  is  part  of  the  work. 
'A  private  secretary  often  knows  her  employer's  virtues, 
habits  and  manners  better  than  his  own  family  does; 
his  secrets  are  hers ;  and  if  she  is  wise,  she  forgets  the 
things  she  should  forget,  and  remembers  only  those 
things  she  is  paid  to  remember. 

For  this  responsible  work  of  being  her  employer's 
"  right  hand  man,"  and  for  acting  at  times  in  his  place, 
the  successful  private  secretary  usually  receives  from 
$30  to  $50  per  week.  Occasionally  more.  Such  em- 
ployment offers  a  girl  the  chance  to  make  herself  indis- 


THE  BOOKKEEPER  19 

pensable  to  the  firm  and  makes  for  permanency  of 
position. 

The  work  of  a  social  secretary  (which  we  shall  discuss 
here  since  it  is  so  closely  related  to  the  position  of 
stenographer  and  private  secretary  in  business)  is  a 
somewhat  different  story.  Women  of  wealth  frequently 
employ  a  social  secretary  to  answer  personal  and  social 
correspondence.  Frequently  she  is  required  to  assist 
in  planning  various  social  functions. 

Accuracy  in  handling  all  types  of  letters,  announce- 
ments, invitations,  acceptances  and  regrets,  is  an  essen- 
tial in  this  work.  Intimate  knowledge  of  social  usages 
and  current  etiquette  together  with  pleasing  manners 
and  an  attractive  appearance  will  greatly  help  to  insure 
the  success  of  the  social  secretary.  The  salary  for  this 
type  of  work  varies,  hut  $25  to  $30  a  week  is  con- 
sidered a  fair  average. 


THE  BOOKKEEPER 


Practically  every  business,  no  matter  how  small,  needs 
the  services  of  a  bookkeeper.  This  work  can  be  learned 
at  any  good  business  school  or  commercial  high  school, 
and  a  brief  study  of  the  rudiments  of  bookkeeping  is 
usually  included  in  a  stenographic  course. 

Accuracy  in  handling  figures  is  needed,  and  in  the 
case  of  a  girl  employed  by  a  small  firm,  neatness  in 
writing  figures  is  especially  important  in  order  to  avoid 
errors.  Large  firms  have  adding  machines  to  eliminate 
errors  of  this  kind,  but  all  bookkeepers  have  some  writr 


20  OFFICE  WORKERS 

ing  to  do,  and  clear  penmanship  is  one  of  the  chief 
requirements.  In  a  small  concern  the  bookkeeper  is 
frequently  called  upon  to  do  other  office  work,  and 
she  will  find  that  a  knowledge  of  typewriting  and 
stenography  are  a  great  asset. 

When  a  girl  does  nothing  but  bookkeeping  all  day 
the  work  is  likely  to  prove  very  tiresome.  Bending  over 
books  constantly  is,  moreover,  injurious  if  kept  up  for 
any  great  length  of  time.  But  if  she  alternates  between 
stenography  and  bookkeeping  the  work  is  less  arduous, 
more  healthful,  and  more  interesting. 

This  work  offers  very  few  opportunities  of  advance- 
ment except  in  large  establishments  where  a  girl  may 
become  chief  bookkeeper  of  an  entire  department.  With 
further  study,  in  recent  years  however,  it  has  become 
possible  for  a  bookkeeper  to  become  an  accountant. 
New  York  University,  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
the  College  of  the  City  of  ISTew  York  and  other  colleges 
now  offer  excellent  courses  in  accounting  which  help  a 
bookkeeper  to  advance. 

Salaries  of  bookkeepers  range  from  $15  a  week  and 
upwards ;  the  usual  salary  of  an  expert  bookkeeper,  who 
knows  her  business  and  can  keep  a  set  of  books  perfectly, 
averages  between  $30  and  $40  weekly. 

A  young  woman  who  is  considered  one  of  the  cleverest 
and  most  accurate  bookkeepers  in  New  York  says,  "  An 
outsider,  I  suppose,  considers  bookkeeping  a  very 
monotonous  occupation  but  keeping  a  set  of  books  is 
almost  like  a  story.  Beginning  every  month  you  open 


THE  ACCOUNTANT  21 

a  new  page,  and  look  forward  eagerly  to  the  end  of  the 
month  to  see  if  you  get  your  trial  balance.  If  it  comes 
the  first  time,  you  feel  as  elated  as  if  some  one  had 
given  you  a  gift." 

So  you  see  there  is  a  romance  to  figures  if  one  is  will- 
ing to  seek  it  out,  and  every  job  has  its  compensations 
to  those  who  are  interested  and  determined  to  succeed. 

THE  ACCOUNTANT 

This  is  one  of  the  branches  of  commercial  work  which 
has  but  recently  opened  its  doors  to  women.  Although 
there  are  but  three  women  certified  public  accountants 
in  the  field  at  present,  there  are  plenty  of  opportunities 
for  women  accountants  to  get  positions.  Banks  and 
insurance  companies,  heretofore  very  conservative  in 
employing  women  as  accountants,  are  now  gradually 
changing  their  attitude. 

Technical  equipment  for  this  work  may  be  gained 
at  any  of  the  recognized  schools  of  accountancy  or  at  the 
schools  of  commerce,  but  practical  experience  is  essen- 
tial. This  may  be  obtained  by  going  to  work  for  an 
accountant  as  an  assistant.  If  a  girl  has  a  good  position 
which  she  cannot  afford  to  give  up  for  experience  of 
this  sort,  she  may  gain  some  experience  by  doing  night 
work.  She  may  also  open  sets  of  books  or  render  other 
types  of  accountants'-services  as  private  work  for  small 
firms  who  cannot  afford  to  employ  an  accountant  reg- 
ularly. 

An  accountant  may  set  up  in  business  for  herself, 


22  OFFICE  WORKERS 

taking  an  office  and  contracting  to  do  work  for  various 
business  firms,  inspecting  books  and  supervising  the 
accounting  of  her  clients.  Such  a  business  can  easily  be 
made  to  yield  an  income  of  from  $2000  to  $4000  a  year 
when  she  has  inspired  confidence  by  the  fine  character 
of  her  work.  However,  it  takes  a  long  time  and  a  wide 
circle  of  acquaintances  in  the  business  world  to  build 
up  a  business  of  this  kind. 

No  person  may  become  a  Certified  Public  Accountant 
who  is  not  at  least  twenty-five  years  of  age.  College 
graduation  or  its  equivalent  in  commercial  courses  or 
in  accountancy  is  a  prerequisite.  Five  years  of  work 
as  a  clerkship  with  a  certified  public  accountant  are 
required  before  a  student  is  eligible  to  take  the  examina- 
tion. The  examination  is  notoriously  a  very  difficult 
one.  So  far  three  women  have  succeeded  in  passing 
it,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  more  should  not  be  able 
to  qualify.  There  is  practically  no  limit  to  the  amount 
of  money  a  certified  public  accountant  may  make,  de- 
pending upon  the  type  and  wealth  of  her  clientele. 


THE    CASHIEB 

Virtually  every  business  employs  a  cashier.  Often  in 
the-  small  shops,  the  position  is  held  by  the  proprietor 
himself  or  by  a  member  of  his  family.  At  the  other  end 
of  the  commercial  scale  are  the  cashiers  of  banks  and 
other  large  businesses, — men  of  ability,  earning  good 
salaries.  But  many  cashiers'  positions  such  as  those  in 


THE  CASHIER  23 

department  stores,  restaurants,  drug  and  candy  stores, 
barber  shops,  etc.,  are  held  by  women. 

For  the  clear-headed  girl,  quick  at  arithmetic,  the 
work  is  comparatively  easy,  but  the  pay  is  usually  small 
and  the  hours  are  often  very  long. 

There  are  many  opportunities  for  girls  to  work  as 
cashiers  in  department  stores.  There  the  hours  are  not 
so  long  but  the  work  is  done  under  high  pressure,  each 
girl  often  having  from  six  to  ten,  sometimes  twelve, 
cash  tubes  to  attend  to.  A  mistake  is  a  serious  matter, 
for  any  deficit  is  deducted  from  her  salary. 

In  the  small  stores  and  restaurants,  there  is  little 
strain  for  the  cashier  except  as  the  result  of  too-long 
hours.  In  these  stores,  the  cashiers  ordinarily  receive 
from  $10  to  $13  a  week  for  twelve  or  fourteen  hours' 
work  a  day,  often  seven  days  a  week.  In  the  restaurants, 
the  pay  is  from  $10  to  $18  a  week,  the  hours  about 
the  same,  two  meals  being  given  in  addition  to  the 
salary.  In  tea  rooms,  cashiers  are  usually  paid  a  dollar 
a  day  with  lunch;  the  hours  are  usually  not  more  than 
six  or  eight  and  Sunday  work  is  seldom  required. 

The  only  advantage  which  the  position  of  cashier 
offers  to  offset  the  long  hours  and  low  rate  of  pay,  is 
that  there  are  periods  nearly  every  day  during  which  a 
girl  may  read  or  study;  few  restaurants  are  busy  con- 
stantly. Many  an  ambitious  young  woman  has  prepared 
for  examinations  while  acting  as  cashier. 

Sometimes  these  positions  may  be  had  for  parts  of 
days  or  for  evenings,  or  for  Saturdays  and  Sundays, 


24  OFFICE  WORKERS 

leaving  the  employee  free  to  attend  school  in  the  morn- 
ing. But  the  salaries  in  such  cases  provide  only  the 
barest  living,  sometimes  only  room  rent. 

The  qualifications  for  the  positions  of  cashier  are 
first  of  all  and  above  all,  honesty ;  second,  a  clear,  quick 
mind,  and  finally,  facility  in  the  use  of  simple  arith- 
metic. 

The  cashier  in  a  public  place  will  find  it  necessary  to 
learn  to  meet  hundreds  of  people  daily  with  perhaps  a 
moment's  cheerful  greeting,  not  making  the  mistake  of 
thinking  about  customers  in  a  personal  way,  nor  allowing 
them  to  think  so  of  her.  The  problem  of  the  personal 
and  social  relation  in  business  is  one  that  presses  hard 
upon  the  girl  who  elects  to  be  a  cashier.  It  challenges 
all  her  dignity  and  commonsense  to  solve  it  successfully. 
And  she  can  do  this  much  more  readily  if  her  mind  is 
occupied  when  not  directly  busy  with  her  duties  as 
cashier,  with  study  or  book  which  will  extend  her  in- 
terests beyond  the  desk  where  she  makes  change. 


DEPARTMENT  STORE  WORKERS 

IN  a  department  store  there  are  many  departments, 
each  employing  trained  and  untrained  workers,  from 
the  least  skilled  to  the  highly  skilled  and  well-paid 
executives.  We  are  here  going  to  discuss  exclusively 
the  kinds  of  work  that  are  peculiar  to  the  department 
store,  only  mentioning  in  passing  that  department  stores 
employ  cashiers,  elevator  operators,  stenographers, 
typists,  file  clerks,  models,  dressmakers,  milliners  and 
many  other  women  workers  whose  positions  and  prob- 
lems are  dealt  with  elsewhere  in  this  book. 

THE  CASH  GIRL 

Few  people  believe  that  children  should  have  to  work 
for  their  living.  Some  day  the  ideal  of  a  childhood 
free  from  care  with  opportunity  for  a  good  education, 
will  become  the  right  of  every  child  born  into  the  world. 
Until  such  a  time  comes  there  will  be  many  children 
who,  as  soon  as  they  are  old  enough  to  get  working 
papers,  must  become  wage  earners. 

A  few  years  ago  there  were  practically  only  two  fields 
open  to  the  fourteen-year-old  girl  on  leaving  school  to 
go  to  work, — the  department  store  and  the  factory.  To- 
day there  are  three,  for  so  many  girls  of  fourteen  are 

25 


26        DEPARTMENT  STORE  WORKERS 

becoming  office  girls  that  there  is  said  to  be  almost  a 
scarcity  of  them  for  department  stores. 

For  several  reasons,  however,  the  department  stores 
today  do  not  employ  as  many  young  girls  as  formerly. 
First  of  all,  pneumatic  tubes  are  almost  universally 
used,  thus  eliminating  the  once-familiar  cash  girl  who 
hurried  to  and  fro  from  early  morning  until  the  store 
closed  at  night.  Of  course  in  the  smaller  cities  and 
towns,  cash  girls  are  employed  to  some  extent,  but  their 
wages  today  are  about  double  what  they  were  a  few 
years  ago.  A  cash  girl  now  receives  on  an  average  of 
$8  a  week  to  start.  Little  skill  is  demanded  of  her,  but 
the  work  will  doubtless  prove  wearisome  and  trying  to 
her  childish  patience.  She  may  bring  a  lunch  from 
home  and  eat  it  in  a  room  provided  for  that  purpose. 

Some  department  stores  advertise  for  help  when  they 
need  it,  others  maintain  a  waiting  list,  and  often  a  girl 
can  obtain  a  job  through  a  friend  who  is  working  in 
the  store.  A  direct  appeal  to  the  superintendent's  office 
is  perhaps  the  best  method  to  pursue  whether  the  store 
is  a  large  or  small  one. 

Absolute  cleanliness  of  person,  plain,  neat  clothes, 
(store  employees  are  usually  required  to  wear  dark  blue 
or  black)  good  shoes  and  tidy  hair  are  first  essentials. 
With  them  a  job  comes  easily;  without  them,  very  hard. 
When  a  girl  of  fourteen  applies  for  a  job  she  must  have 
her  working  papers  with  her,  and  they  are  filed  in  the 
archives  of  the  store  which  engages  her. 


tTHE  STOCK  GIRL  27 

THE   STOCK   GIRL 

The  next  higher  position  to  which  she  may  he 
promoted  if  she  has  shown  herself  willing  and  eager  to 
learn,  is  that  of  stock  girl.  (Nowadays,  however,  many 
girls  become  stock  girls  immediately  upon  employment.) 
The  stock  girl's  duties  are  to  keep  the  stock  or  goods  in 
her  department  well  dusted,  in  order,  and  in  place.  She 
will  be  raised  a  dollar  a  week  or  perhaps  more  when 
she  becomes  a  stock  girl;  salaries  in  department  stores 
varying  greatly  in  different  cities,  and  in  different 
stores  in  the  same  city.  The  usual  wage  is  $12.50  for 
a  stock  girl. 

While  she  is  handling  stock,  she  will  gradually  learn 
many  things,  some  because  she  consciously  tries  to  do 
so,  and  some  she  will  unconsciously  absorb  without  any 
effort  on  her  own  part  or  exerting  any  initiative.  She 
will  learn  differences  in  materials,  differences  in  qual- 
ities of  the  same  material,  the  names  of  the  various 
articles,  the  styles,  and  above  all  she  will  learn,  by  ob- 
serving the  clerks  around  her,  how  to  sell  goods  over  the 
counter,  to  study  people  and  to  manage  different  types. 
The  latter  is  most  essential  for  a  successful  saleswoman. 

THE    SALESWOMAN 

The  next  step  in  the  ladder  is  the  position  of  sales- 
woman. However,  a  high  school  graduate  can  become 
a  saleswoman  immediately.  Selling  may  seem  an  easy 
proposition  but  it  is  really  the  hardest  thing  in  the 


28         DEPARTMENT  STORE  WORKERS 

world.  There  are  so  many  women  who  merely  "  shop," 
— that  is,  stroll  in  and  out  of  stores  inquiring  prices 
without  the  least  intention  of  purchasing  anything,  and 
those  people  are  the  bane  of  the  saleswoman's  existence. 
She  may  lose  a  good  sale  while  trifling  away  her  time 
with  a  shopper;  and  each  saleswoman  has  a  certain 
record  she  must  maintain. 

The  saleswoman  is  receiving  a  higher  salary  today 
than  she  has  ever  before.  Few  department  stores  start 
a  saleswoman  at  less  than  $10  or  $12  a  week  and  the 
latter  is  the  usual  salary.  Salaries  vary  from  $12  to 
$20  according  to  the  saleswoman's  ability  to  maintain 
her  standard.  Many  department  stores  now  pay  their 
saleswomen  an  additional  small  commission  on  all  sales 
over  and  above  a  certain  amount  to  encourage  and 
stimulate  them  in  their  work.  The  world  today  is 
beginning  to  realize  that  people  must  have  an  incentive 
to  work,  and  that  money  is  the  greatest  incentive  for 
everybody. 

At  present  many  stores  in  the  large  cities  have  part- 
time  workers — women  who  come  in  for  just  the  after- 
noon when  the  rush  is  greatest,  or  for  two  or  three  days 
a  week,  usually  the  big  sale-days.  These  women  of 
course  do  not  receive  as  much  as  the  girl  who  works  the 
regular  number  of  hours.  For  a  day's  work,  the  part- 
time  worker  may  receive  from  $2.50  to  $3.50  a  day 
and  some  of  the  specialty  shops  pay  even  more.  The 
employment  of  part-time  saleswomen  is  an  economy  for 
the  store  and  an  assistance  for  women  who  desire  to  earn 


THE  SALESWOMAN  29 

some  money  but  who,  because  of  home  conditions,  can 
not  go  out  to  work  every  day,  or  for  a  whole  day. 

The  girl  who  proves  that  she  is  an  efficient  saleswoman 
may  become  "head  of  stock" — in  charge  of  all  the 
girls  in  a  department.  She  must  see  that  there  is  always 
an  adequate  supply  of  stock  on  hand,  she  confers  with 
the  buyer  and  assistant  buyer,  and  acts  as  their  right 
hand.  She  receives  from  $20  to  $30  a  week. 

In  many  of  the  smaller  department  stores  and  in 
five-and-ten-cent  stores,  salesgirls  are  required  to  do  a 
greater  variety  of  work,  sometimes  having  several  count- 
ers to  serve  and  perhaps  being  required  to  know 
and  find  any  stock  in  the  entire  store  in  addition  to 
making  themselves  generally  useful.  The  rate  of  wages 
in  these  stores  varies  so  greatly  that  figures  would  mean 
little. 

Then  too,  there  are  the  Specialty  Shops,  each  em- 
ploying one  or  more  saleswomen.  They  generally  pay 
a  slightly  higher  salary  than  department  stores,  but  the 
hours  are  usually  longer  and  the  responsibility  greater. 
Their  saleswoman  has  to  be  a  sort  of  buyer,  saleswoman 
and  demonstrator  all  rolled  into  one ;  and  although  they 
sometimes  attract  a  higher  class  of  patrons  than  in 
some  department  store,  girls  frequently  prefer  to  work 
in  department  stores.  It  is  a  matter  of  taste. 

Hours  of  work  are  now  regulated  by  law,  so  the 
girl  need  not  fear  being  overworked  as  she  was  in  the 
past.  It  is  tiresome,  however,  standing  on  one's  feet  all 
day,  and  until  a  girl  becomes  accustomed  to  it,  she  is 


30         DEPARTMENT  STORE  WORKERS 

usually  worn  out  when  closing  time  comes.  Then  too 
the  artificial  light  in  the  store  may  prove  harmful  to 
her  eyes,  but  this  may  usually  be  offset  by  bathing  the 
eyes  morning  and  night,  and  taking  good  care  of 
her  health.  Good  health  will  prove  to  be  a  great 
factor  in  this  kind  of  work,  and  a  girl  must  not 
neglect  it. 

When  one  considers  what  the  conditions  are  in  many 
of  the  European  stores,  we  realize  that  in  America  our 
saleswomen  are  much  better  looked  after  and  taken  care 
of.  Every  year  new  legislation  is  being  planned  and 
enacted  for  their  benefit,  to  make  their  work  easier,  their 
hours  on  duty  shorter,  and  their  rest  periods  and  vaca- 
tions longer.  Sometimes  it  seems  as  if  wrongs  are  being 
remedied  very  slowly.  But  when  we  compare  the  long 
hours,  including  night  work,  in  stores  poorly  built  and 
more  poorly  equipped,  with  the  hours  required  now  in 
buildings  where  real  welfare  is  taken  into  account,  one 
believes  that  in  a  few  more  decades  stores  will  be  what- 
ever the  workers  in  them  decide  is  right  and  good. 

THE  BUYER 

Each  department  of  a  large  store  in  a  big  city  is  run 
like  a  separate  store  of  which  the  buyer  is  the  presiding 
genius.  It  is  she  who  buys  the  stock,  sees  that  it  sells, 
and  if  it  does  not  sell,  finds  out  the  reason.  She  ar- 
ranges special  sales,  and  manages  the  advertising.  In 
short  it  is  her  duty  to  see  that  her  department  pays 
well.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  point  out  what  a  re- 


THE  BUYER  31 

sponsible  position  that  of  buyer  is,  and  that  a  girl  just 
out  of  school  could  not  immediately  become  a  buyer. 

Most  buyers  have  risen  from  the  ranks,  that  is,  they 
have  started  their  careers  as  saleswomen,  and  worked 
their  way  to  be  assistant  buyer  and  then  to  buyer.  Of 
course  they  have  evinced  special  ability  and  adaptabil- 
ity; and  have  shown  that  they  possess  the  skill  not 
only  to  know  what  to  buy  and  where  to  buy  it,  but  also 
to  handle  people. 

Buyers  in  cities  other  than  New  York,  make  semi- 
annual trips  to  the  large  centers  of  trade  to  buy  goods. 
Buyers  of  women's  clothes  often  make  annual  trips  to 
Europe.  The  buyer  must  be  constantly  on  the  alert, 
studying  changes  in  styles,  knowing  what  will  sell  best, 
and  not  investing  too  heavily  in  extreme  styles  which 
will  only  last  for  a  few  months. 

Because  of  the  vast  responsibility  of  their  positions 
buyers  receive  good  salaries.  Assistant  buyers  receive 
about  $25  to  $40  weekly,  while  buyers'  salaries  range 
from  $1500  to  almost  any  amount  annually  according 
to  the  departments  which  they  have  in  charge  and  their 
own  experience  and  ability. 

Many  colleges  now  offer  courses  in  commerce,  textiles, 
economics  and  psychology,  which  would  be  of  great 
assistance  to  the  ambitious  girl  desiring  to  rise  to  one 
of  these  positions.  High  school  graduation  is  not  re- 
quired for  admission  to  the  university  extension  courses. 

A  girl  who  determines  to  go  into  business  seriously, 
and  not  merely  to  gloss  over  the  few  years  before  matri- 


32         DEPARTMENT  STORE  WORKERS 

mony  enters  her  life,  who  enters  a  department  store  with 
the  desire  to  succeed  and  become  something  worth-while, 
may  set  the  position  of  buyer  as  her  goal.  It  is  impor- 
tant, however,  for  girls  to  realize  that  in  such  positions, 
luck  is  a  tremendous  factor.  We  cannot  say  to  the 
earnest,  intelligent  and  ambitious  young  saleswoman, 
"  You  have  only  to  try  and  you  will  become  a  buyer," 
any  more  than  we  can  say  to  the  bright  ambitious  office- 
boy, — "  You  have  only  to  try  in  order  to  become  a  bank 
president" 

THE   PROFESSIONAL   SHOPPER 

The  field  of  professional  shopping  is  a  comparatively 
limited  one  in  which  there  are  not  many  girls  employed. 
The  majority  of  the  large  department  stores  have  several 
women  on  their  staff  who  are  known  technically  as  pro- 
fessional shoppers.  It  is  their  duty  to  visit  other  stores 
and  compare  the  prices,  values,  quality,  styles,  etc.,  of 
the  goods  offered  elsewhere  with  those  of  their  own 
store. 

A  professional  shopper  must  have  tact,  keen  judgment 
both  of  people  and  of  merchandise,  commonsense,  poise 
and  above  all,  self-control.  For  if  a  woman  once  shows 
nervousness  or  hesitation,  she  will  be  detected  and  her 
career  as  a  professional  shopper  ended.  It  is  absolutely 
essential  to  remain  unknown  in  the  other  stores.  She 
must  also  be  able  to  write  a  report  in  a  clear,  concise 
manner  of  what  she  has  seen. 

A  head  shopper,  who  works  directly  under  the  man- 


THE  PROFESSIONAL  SHOPPER  38 

ager,  supervises  and  directs  the  other  shoppers,  telling 
them  which  stores  to  visit,  which  goods  to  price,  etc. 
She  receives  their  reports  and  submits  them  to  the 
manager. 

The  professional  shopper  is  known  only  to  the  head 
shopper, — not  even  to  the  salespeople  in  her  own  store. 
The  reason  for  this  can  he  easily  understood  since  it  is 
part  of  her  duty  to  price  merchandise,  ask  for  samples, 
etc.,  in  her  own  establishment,  in  order  to  test  the  af- 
fability and  courtesy  of  its  sales  force.  Reprimands 
and  sometimes  discharges  follow  the  tests  given  by  these 
professional  shoppers. 

;  There  are  but  few  positions  of  this  kind  open  to  a 
girl.  On  the  other  hand  there  are  only  a  few  girls 
qualified  to  fill  such  a  position  which  is  often  held  by 
a  woman  of  good  education  who  has  been  reduced  in 
circumstances  and  must  earn  money,  perhaps  for  the 
first  time  in  her  life. 

fc  Young  girls  who  occasionally  do  fill  such  positions 
receive  from  $6  to  $10  a  week  to  start.  If  they  prove 
capable  they  may  be  advanced  to  a  wage  of  from  $3 
to  $5  a  day,  working  possibly  five  days  a  week.  The 
head  shopper  receives  of  course  more  than  those  whom 
she  directs.  The  figure  her  salary  will  finally  reach 
depends  upon  the  store  and  the  city  even  more  than  on 
her  own  ability. 

For  the  girl  who  has  good  judgment  and  who  can 
only  spend  a  part  of  each  week  at  business,  the  position 
of  professional  shopper  might  be  desirable.  The  work 


34        DEPARTMENT  STORE  WORKERS 

is  interesting,  giving  a  certain  amount  of  freedom  that 
store  work  does  not.  But  the  girl  who  is  bright,  ambi- 
tious, efficient  and  who  is  compelled  to  support  herself 
entirely  would  do  well  to  look  for  better  opportunities. 
There  are  other  lines  of  work,  both  industrial  and  com- 
mercial, where  a  girl  can  find  a  more  remunerative  job 
which  is  more  likely  to  lead  to  advancement. 

THE  DEMONSTRATOR 

The  success  of  an  article  often  rests  upon  the  ability 
of  the  person  who  demonstrates  it.  Therefore,  there  is 
an  unceasing  and  constantly  increasing  cry  for  clever 
demonstrators. 

Demonstrators  are  people  who  travel  from  store  to 
store  and  from  town  to  town,  or  city  to  city,  exhibiting 
a  certain  line  of  goods,  extolling  its  qualities  and  estab- 
lishing it  on  the  market.  Nowadays  everything  from  a 
safety  pin  to  the  latest  model  of  automobile  is  dem- 
onstrated, and  there  are  innumerable  positions  open  to 
girls. 

However,  the  work  once  obtained,  is  tiresome, — in 
fact  much  more  tiresome  than  straight  salesmanship. 
For  eight  hours  a  day,  sometimes  longer,  the  dem- 
onstrator is  on  her  feet,  trying  to  attract  the  attention 
of  possible  customers,  trying  to. make  sales,  and  explain- 
ing over  and  over  the  value  of  the  article  until  she  feels 
as  if  her  tongue  worked  mechanically. 

This  work  requires  constant  concentration  which 
causes  a  strain  on  every  fibre  of  the  demonstrator's 


THE  DEMONSTRATOR  35 

mind  and  body.  Only  particularly  healthy  girls  and 
women  are  able  to  withstand  the  combined  mental  and 
physical  exhaustion.  Perfect  health  is  an  essential  for 
this  type  of  position. 

Of  course  to  attract  people's  attention  a  girl  must 
be  a  convincing  talker,  having  a  pleasing  voice,  well 
modulated  and  flexible,  she  must  dress  well,  and  always 
be  ready  to  smile  when  she  might  prefer  to  frown.  A 
bright,  intelligent  girl  after  a  week's  training  under  an 
experienced  demonstrator  ought  to  be  able  to  take  charge 
of  an  exhibition  in  a  store.  It  will  take  several  years 
before  she  is  an  expert  and  even  then  if  she  changes 
from  one  line  of  goods  to  another  it  takes  little  time 
to  get  used  to  "  the  new  line  of  talk." 

When  a  new  article  is  placed  on  the  market  for  sale 
the  firm  manufacturing  it  usually  sends  out  a  number 
of  advance  agents  or  demonstrators,  to  exhibit  the  article 
in  various  parts  of  the  country.  Some  demonstrators 
will  spend  a  week  or  two  in  certain  drug  stores,  while 
others  will  exhibit  in  department  stores. 

Perhaps  household  and  toilet  articles  are  the  articles 
for  which  women  demonstrators  are  more  frequently 
employed  than  men.  A  girl  may  often  choose  the  article 
in  which  she  is  most  interested  and  obtain  a  job  easily. 
Many  girls  would  strenuously  object  to  "  making  up  " 
their  own  faces  to  show  the  effect  of  a  beautifier,  whereas 
they  would  enjoy  showing  people  how  to  work  a  vacuum 
cleaner.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  some  girls  who 
would  prefer  making  up  their  own  faces  or  some  one 


36        DEPARTMENT  STORE  WORKERS 

I 

else's  a  hundred  times  daily  rather  than  explaining  the 

Dorkings  of  a  vacuum  cleaner  which  to  them,  would  be 
agony.  To  the  older  women,  who  have  outgrown  the 
beauty-aid  stage,  the  household  demonstrations  are 
usually  given. 

A  demonstrator  receives  about  $12  a  week  to  start, 
plus  5%  on  all  sales.  Salaries  run  from  $10  to  $30 
a  week  with  a  certain  percentage  on  all  sales  in  addition. 
Expenses  while  traveling  are  of  course  paid  by  the  firm. 
Many  traveling  demonstrators  make  as  much  as  $40  to 
$50  weekly,  but  these  are  usually  older  and  experienced 
women.  Some  women  work  entirely  on  the  commission 
basis,  placing  their  demonstrations  themselves. 

One  young  woman  who  started  as  a  demonstrator 
and  is  now  manufacturing  a  splendid  brand  of  toilet 
articles,  says,  "  To  be  a  successful  demonstrator  is  hard 
work,  which  exhausts  every  drop  of  your  vitality.  Older 
women  make  more  successful  demonstrators  than  young 
girls  because  they  are  more  likely  to  study  their  cus- 
tomers and  the  trend  of  business.  The  young  girls  I 
have  employed  always  seem  to  have  some  friend  or 
other  running  in  to  see  them; — thus  customers  slip 
past.  Strictly  business  is  the  only  way  to  success." 

The  other  day  in  a  city  department  store  a  pretty 
young  demonstrator  stepped  forward  and  tried  to  in- 
terest a  woman  (who  was  past  middle  age)  in  the  skin 
beautifier  she  was  selling.  The  woman  stopped  haught- 
ily and  remonstrated  with  the  girl  for  using  the  cream 
and  spoiling  her  skin.  The  girl  began  to  talk;  before 


THE  DEMONSTRATOR  37 

the  woman  left  her  table,  she  had  paid  a  dollar  for  a 
jar  of  the  face-cream.  We  do  not  say  that  the  woman 
was  wise,  but  we  do  say  that  the  girl  was  a  clever 
demonstrator. 

Demonstration  work  is  interesting,  for  it  gives  the 
girl  a  chance  constantly  to  study  human  nature.  If 
the  work  appeals  it  will  afford  her  a  comfortable  liveli- 
hood. 

Concentration,  conviction,  and  "  being  on  the  job  " 
all  the  time  are  the  only  ladders  to  success  in  this  field 
as  in  all  others. 


HOTEL  WORKERS 

IN  hotels,  as  in  department  stores,  there  are  many  posi- 
tions which  are  not  peculiar  to  that  business.  For 
example,  every  hotel  employs  stenographers,  elevator 
operators,  telephone  operators,  etc. 

But  there  are  also  many  positions  which  a  girl  will 
find  open  to  her  only  in  a  hotel,  such  as  that  of  desk 
clerk,  floor  clerk,  checker,  cafe  cashier,  waitress  and 
chambermaid.  It  is  rather  amazing  to  learn  how  many 
positions  in  hotels  are  today  open  to  girls  and  women 
and  it  is  indeed  gratifying  to  be  assured  that  women  are 
proving  just  as  competent  and  successful  as  men.  In- 
deed many  of  the  hotels  in  the  big  cities  are  retaining 
women  in  positions  filled  by  men  previous  to  the  war. 
Jobs  involving  heavy  work,  such  as  that  of  porter,  are 
only  suited  to  men  and  would  not  appeal  to  a  girl  with 
any  ambition. 

Hotel  work  affords  splendid  opportunities,  especially 
for  the  girl  who  has  no  home,  since  board  and  lodging 
are  supplied  in  most  cases.  Hotels  reckon  salaries  by 
the  month  and  pay  twice  per  month. 

Girls  who  desire  to  work  during  vacation  at  a  summer 
hotel  will  find  that  there  are  opportunities  open  to  them 
and  each  summer  the  number  of  positions  increases.  In 
these  she  receives  board  and  lodging,  works  either  night 


THE  FLOOR  CLERK  39 

or  day,  but  her  salary  is  slightly  smaller  than  in  a  city 
hotel.  Waitresses  in  summer  hotels  are  frequently 
college  girls  who  are  working  their  way  through  school 
and  earn  their  tuition  money  in  that  way. 

THE  FLOOR  CLERK 

First  of  all  let  us  consider  the  position  of  floor  clerk. 
Practically  all  the  big  hotels  in  the  United  States  today 
employ  floor  clerks,  whose  job  is  just  what  the  title 
says.  On  every  floor  just  opposite  the  elevator  doors 
is  a  desk  at  which  the  floor  clerk  sits.  She  is  a  sort  of 
"guardian  of  the  floor;"  she  knows  who  is  occupying 
each  room  and  in  that  way  safeguards  the  guests. 

Instead  of  having  the  keys  left  at  the  main  desk,  the 
guest  leaves  his  key  with  the  floor  clerk.  It  is  she  who 
receives  the  mail  from  the  main  office,  sorts  it,  and  de- 
livers it.  She  receives  all  phone  calls  when  a  guest  is 
out,  accepts  packages,  pays  for  C.O.D.  parcels  and  is 
custodian  of  about  $200  which  she  uses  as  is  necessary. 
The  floor  clerk  is  sometimes  a  stenographer  and  does 
whatever  public  stenography  is  required  for  guests  on 
her  floor. 

There  are  two  clerks  for  each  floor,  who  work  what 
is  known  as  a  "  hotel  watch."  They  are  on  duty  for 
six  hours  at  a  time.  In  this  way  a  girl  is  pretty  much 
tied  down  to  her  job,  but  she  is  free  one  day  a  week. 

Floor  clerks  live  at  the  hotel,  receiving  their  lodging 
and  food  in  addition  to  a  salary  which  averages  about 
$60  a  month,  varying  with  the  rating  of  the  hotel. 


40  HOTEL  WORKERS 

A  girl  must  have  a  level  head  and  a  sense  of  responsi- 
bility to  take  a  position  of  this  kind.  There  isn't  any 
special  training  for  it.  There  have  been  instances  in 
which  floor  clerks,  having  been  specially  nice  or  just 
passingly  kind  and  pleasant  to  hotel  guests,  have  been 
offered  positions  as  companions  to  wealthy  women  or  as 
secretaries  to  men.  It  is  all  a  question  of  handling 
people  and  knowing  human  nature,  and  one  good  place 
in  the  world  to  study  it  is  a  large  metropolitan  hotel. 

THE  DESK  CLERK 

The  next  higher  position  is  that  of  desk  clerk.  The 
desk  clerk  stands  behind  the  desk  in  the  main  lobby, 
answers  questions  and  makes  herself  generally  useful. 
She  sometimes  receives  room  and  board,  possibly  just 
board,  works  on  hotel  watches  and  usually  receives  about 
$75  a  month.  Desk  clerks  must  dress  well,  must  have 
good  manners  and  the  ability  to  handle  people. 

THE  ROOM   CLERK 

This  is  a  responsible  position,  for  the  room  clerk  must 
remember  the  guests  who  make  the  hotel  their  home 
while  in  the  city,  must  be  able  to  size  up  people  apply- 
ing for  rooms,  and  be  a  splendid  judge  of  human  nature. 
The  room  clerk's  position  is  not  an  easy  one,  and  the 
salary  is  higher  than  that  of  any  of  the  other  clerks, 
averaging  around  the  $150  mark,  in  addition  to  board 
and  sometimes  lodging. 


THE  CAFE  CASHIER  41 

THE  CAFE  CASHIER 

A  cashier  in  the  cafe  or  dining  room  of  a  hotel  does 
much  the  same  work  as  the  cashier  in  any  restaurant. 
Here  however  she  does  not  come  in  contact  with  the 
guests,  since  the  waitresses  bring  the  money  and  check 
to  her.  The  cashier  receives  her  food  in  addition  to  her 
salary,  and  works  a  long  and  a  short  day — which  really 
means  that  she  has  so  many  hours  to  put  in  per  week, 
and  the  periods  are  divided  irregularly.  The  require- 
ments are  the  same  as  those  for  any  cashier.  Salaries 
vary  greatly  according  to  the  standing  of  the  hotel. 

THE  FOOD   CHECKER 

The  food  checker  sits  at  the  door  of  the  kitchen  and 
checks  up  the  food  on  each  tray  to  see  if  it  corresponds 
with  the  amount  on  the  check.  The  job  is  not  difficult 
but  a  girl  must  be  accurate  and  particular,  and  not  make 
any  slip-ups  in  her  work.  In  a  way  the  hotel's  profits 
depend  on  her  accuracy.  She  too  has  a  long  and  a  short 
watch,  like  the  cafe  cashier,  and  receives  her  food  in 
addition  to  her  salary. 

THE  WAITRESS 

Up  to  the  present  time  women  have  usually  been 
employed  as  waitresses  only  in  tea  shops,  bakeries  and 
lunch  rooms.  Many  summer  hotels  have  used  girls, 
the  majority  of  them  college  students  working  to  earn 
their  tuition,  and  therefore  a  somewhat  superior  type. 


42  HOTEL  WORKERS 

The  average  waitress  used  to  be  considered  a  rather  ordi- 
nary person  and  treated  accordingly. 

Recently,  however,  because  of  numerous  strikes  and 
war  conditions,  women  have  been  engaged  by  some  of 
the  biggest  and  best  hotels  in  the  various  cities  to  act 
as  waitresses.  And  the  universal  verdict  is  that  their 
services  are  far  more  satisfactory  than  those  of  men. 
This  may  be  another  victory  for  women. 

The  type  of  women  who  have  rallied  to  this  work  is 
distinctly  a  high  class  and  their  worth  is  appreciated. 
At  one  of  the  biggest  hotels  in  New  York  is  a  girl  who 
was  a  stenographer  for  several  years  and  secretary  to  a 
Wall  Street  man.  She  tired  of  her  job  and  when  the 
cry  went  forth  for  waitresses  decided  that  she  would 
try  it.  She  did.  She  says  that  she  receives  almost  as 
much  in  a  week  as  she  did  in  a  month — and  she  was  a 
secretary — and  that  the  new  work  is  far  more  engross- 
ing. Girls  of  this  type  naturally  raise  the  standing 
of  any  occupation,  and  if  more  girls  of  her  caliber 
tackle  the  job  of  waitress  it  will  attain  a  real  standing 
in  the  world  of  work. 

Women  of  course  are  not  as  physically  strong  as  men 
and  the  work  is  therefore  far  more  tiring  to  them.  If 
you  have  ever  been  in  a  hotel  kitchen  you  will  realize 
the  distances — one  might  almost  say,  miles — that  a 
waitress  has  to  cover  in  securing  orders.  Large  hotels 
have  solved  the  problem  by  using  girls  only  in  certain 
dining  rooms,  while  they  employ  men  in  the  others. 
Then  too  it  is  a  strain  on  a  woman's  back  to  carry  heavy 


THE  WAITRESS  43 

trays,  but  her  muscles  may  become  accustomed  to  the 
weight  and  her  body  to  the  feat  of  balancing  a  heavy 
tray  of  food. 

A  waitress  in  a  hotel  works  long  and  short  watches, 
or  she  may  simply  work  during  the  dinner  and  supper 
hour.  In  restaurants  time  is  regulated  according  to  the 
size  of  the  staff  maintained  and  to  the  rush  hours. 
Restaurants  in  the  business  and  shopping  sections  have 
their  busiest  time  at  noon,  while  dinner  is  the  most 
crowded  time  in  other  sections. 

The  earnings  of  a  hotel  waitress  are  problematical. 
She  receives  so  much  monthly  from  the  hotel — a  com- 
paratively small  sum — and  her  meals.  Then  she  depends 
on  tips  for  her  real  wages.  They  vary  of  course  accord- 
ing to  the  restaurant  or  hotel,  the  type  of  guests,  and 
the  size  of  parties  and  checks.  Many  patrons  tip  ac- 
cording to  a  percentage  of  the  check;  others  give  more 
or  less  liberally.  A  good  deal  depends  on  the  girl,  the 
kind  of  service  she  renders  and  her  personality. 

Waitresses  in  large  hotels  may  average  from  $6  to 
$8  a  day  in  tips;  many  days  more  and  seldom  less. 

The  job  of  waitress  is  not  one  to  be  scorned  if  a  girl 
can  grow  accustomed  to  the  constant  standing,  and  the 
carrying  of  heavy  weights.  A  rugged  constitution  is 
necessary  and  a  steady  head,  as  well  as  swiftness  of 
service  and  a  knowledge  of  table  etiquette.  Equipped 
with  these,  almost  any  girl  can  undertake  a  job  of  this 
kind  and  succeed. 


AGE1TOY  WORK 

THERE  are  many  men  and  women  in  all  kinds  of  busi- 
ness enterprises  who  do  not  receive  a  stated  salary,  but 
who  receive  a  certain  commission  or  percentage  of 
another  person's  salary.  Although  some  of  these  people 
earn  a  large  amount  during  the  year,  their  earnings 
depend  greatly  on  their  own  business  sense. 

The  dictionary  definition  of  agent  is  "  one  who  acts 
for  another,"  and  to  that  we  may  add,  "  for  a  certain 
sum  of  money — known  as  commission."  An  agent  may 
be  employed  by  another  or  he  may  be  in  business  for 
himself.  There  are  many  kinds  of  agents, — insurance, 
real  estate,  employment,  soliciting,  booking,  purchasing, 
as  well  as  advertising  and  press  agents.  Each  of  these 
will  be  taken  up  separately  in  the  following  sections. 

Fortunately,  there  is  little  prejudice  against  women 
agents.  Therefore  a  girl  with  a  certain  amount  of 
capital,  a  winning  personality,  a  knowledge  of  human 
nature,  ought  to  succeed  as  an  agent  if  she  perseveres. 
However,  she  must  have  some  idea  where  her  patronage 
is  coming  from, — have  a  number  of  reliable  friends  or 
acquaintances  who  will  recommend  her, — or  the  way 
will  be  tediously  long  and  failure  may  be  waiting  at  the 
end. 

Perhaps  it  is  harder  for  an  agent  to  establish  herself 

44 


THE  EMPLOYMENT  AGENT  45 

than  in  almost  any  other  branch  of  the  world's  work. 
It  is  hard  to  build  up  a  large  enough  clientele  to  insure 
a  comfortable,  half-way,  regular  living.  A  reputation 
for  prompt  service,  and  absolute  reliability  is  necessary. 
There  are  many  women  agents  in  the  country  today 
and  there  does  not  seem  to  be  any  particular  reason  why 
there  should  not  be  many  more  successful  ones  if  girls 
start  in  a  business-like  way. 

THE    EMPLOYMENT    AGENT 

A  girl  with  sufficient  cash  capital,  sound  judgment 
and  endless  tact  may  find  attractive  work  as  employ- 
ment agent.  In  founding  an  agency  for  high-grade 
household  servants,  nurses,  governesses,  housekeepers, 
secretaries,  etc.,  a  girl  must  have  enough  money  to 
provide  an  attractive  and  business-like  office,  and  to 
insure  about  two  years  of  operation  in  building  up  a 
clientele  and  reputation.  !N~ot  until  then  can  she  expect 
to  count  a  dollar  of  profit.  To  put  in  years  of  hard 
work  without  any  monetary  return  requires  a  lot  of 
pluck,  but  the  end  may  be  made  to  justify  the  long  wait. 
Besides  cash  capital,  one  must  have  patience,  good 
judgment,  and  the  qualities  of  perseverance  and  honesty 
in  making  and  keeping  promises  to  customers  and 
servants. 

The  percentage  of  failures  in  this  field  is  greater  than 
that  in  many  others.  Many  offices  are  opened  without 
adequate  consideration  of  the  qualifications  necessary  or 
the  equipment  desirable.  This  often  happens  when  for 


46  AGENCY  WORK 

some  reason  a  woman  realizes  that  she  has  access  to  a 
large  number  either  of  employers  desiring  help  or  of 
employees  desiring  positions.  Now  neither  one  of  these 
groups  alone  is  sufficient  to  warrant  opening  an  employ- 
ment office.  Used  as  a  basis,  however,  and  added  to 
judiciously,  either  one  of  them  would  prove  a  valuable 
asset  to  a  girl  contemplating  such  an  enterprise. 

The  margin  of  profit,  as  compared  with  that  of  other 
businesses,  is  narrow  and  dearly  earned.  Yet  there  is 
a  fascination  about  the  work,  which  holds  and  keeps 
one  to  the  grind  if  a  girl  has  the  rare  combination  of 
executive  ability  and  understanding  of  people  that  is 
necessary. 

The  personal  element,  as  in  so  many  other  lines,  has 
more  to  do  with  success  or  failure  than  is  commonly 
supposed.  Firmness  and  tact  in  handling  servants 
together  with  rigorous  adherence  to  the  requirements 
of  reference  and  record,  or  else  the  power  to  read  human 
nature  so  that  you  can  tell  what  a  would-be  employee 
can  do,  are  absolutely  essential.  The  placing  of  each 
irresponsible  servant  will  reflect  at  once  on  the  standing 
of  the  office,  and  it  will  require  much  good  work  to 
wipe  out  the  bad  effect  of  even  one  such  mistake.  In 
other  words,  to  maintain  a  successful  employment 
agency,  one  must  be  charitable,  tactful  and  able  to 
judge  people. 

This  work  brings  one  into  contact  with  two  distinct 
classes, — the  hard-to-please  employer  and  the  harder-to- 
please  servant.  The  secret  of  success  lies  in  the  ability 


THE  EMPLOYMENT  AGENT  47 

to  "  place  the  cake  in  the  right  tin," — in  refraining 
from  sending  a  Japanese  cook  to  a  woman  who  insists 
on  having  an  Irishwoman.  She  won't  keep  the  cook 
and  you'll  lose  her  trade. 

To  obtain  the  necessary  knowledge  of  wage  rates  and 
of  the  requirements  of  employers  and  employees,  a  girl 
might  get  a  clerkship  in  a  large  employment  agency  or 
even  better,  work  as  an  assistant  in  a  well-run  small 
office.  In  either  case  she  would  have  little  responsibil- 
ity, and  yet  would  have  an  opportunity  to  acquire 
valuable  practical  experience.  The  salary  wrould  prob- 
ably be  that  of  any  clerk, — $10  to  $14  a  week  to  begin. 
But  the  experience  gained  will  be  worth  more  than  twice 
that  much  to  her. 

An  employment  agent's  income  is  derived  from 
commissions  and  registration  fees.  A  fee  is  required 
of  every  one  who  registers  at  the  agency,  and  also  a 
certain  percentage  of  the  first  month's  wages.  It  can 
readily  be  seen  that  a  very  large  clientele  must  be  built 
up  before  one's  income  can  be  large. 

As  head  of  a  successful  employment  agency,  a  girl 
can  often  influence  the  lives  of  many  servants,  as  well 
as  mistresses,  whose  personal  problems  often  overwhelm 
them.  People  are  likely  to  turn  in  time  of  difficulty 
to  any  one  with  whom  they  have  come  in  contact  who 
has  seemed  to  have  personal  magnetism  and  an  ability 
to  help  others.  If  you  have  a  longing  to  be  of  service 
to  others,  and  the  ability  to  assist  them  when  they  are 
"  floored  "  by  personal  questions,  you  will  find  as  much 


48  AGENCY  WORK 

opportunity  to  do  it  in  a  well-conducted  employment 
office  as  in  what  is  definitely  known  as  "  social  work." 

THE    REAL    ESTATE    AGENT 

A  varied  and  interesting  occupation  which  keeps  a 
girl  in  the  open  air  and  brings  her  in  contact  with  all 
kinds  of  people,  is  that  of  real  estate  agent.  It  em- 
braces buying,  leasing,  selling  and  exchanging  land  and 
houses,  appraising  their  value,  mortgaging,  auctioning 
and  managing. 

The  girl  who  wishes  to  become  a  real  estate  agent 
must  have  in  the  first  place,  experience  in  this  kind 
of  work,  and  in  the  second  place,  some  cash  capital 
varying  in  amount  according  to  the  locality  in  which 
she  proposes  to  establish  her  business.  The  personal 
qualities  for  success  are  tact,  perseverance,  skill  in 
argument,  originality  of  ideas  which  will  enable  her 
to  work  out  new  ways  of  utilizing  property,  and  execu- 
tive ability. 

Training  in  this  particular  line  is  best  gained  by 
experience  in  a  real  estate  office.  A  girl  who  is  employed 
as  a  filing  clerk,  stenographer  or  secretary  by  a  real 
estate  firm  can,  if  she  is  intelligent,  energetic  and  ambi- 
tious, gain  in  a  year  or  two  a  great  deal  of  knowledge 
of  the  business  from  her  office  work.  Then  she  may 
secure  an  agency  for  some  established  firm;  or,  if  she 
has  the  necessary  capital  and  sees  a  good  opening,  she 
can  hire  an  office  or  desk  room  is  some  one  else's  office, 
put  her  name  in  the  telephone  book  and  start  in  busi- 


THE  REAL  ESTATE  AGENT      49 

ness  for  herself.  In  addition  to  experience,  a  girl  should 
avail  herself  as  far  as  possible  of  the  excellent  lectures 
now  offered  in  many  colleges  on  contracts,  leases, 
taxes,  deeds,  bonds  and  mortgages  and  the  laws  regard- 
ing the  legal  relations  of  landlord  and  tenant. 

Success  in  this  field  as  in  all  others,  depends  partly 
upon  a  full  and  accurate  knowledge  of  the  subject.  It 
may  depend  also  upon  a  girl's  social  position  and  the 
number  of  well-to-do  friends  she  has  who  are  likely  to 
want  her  services.  The  subject  of  "  buying  a  house  " 
is  a  fascinating  one  and  more  frequently  introduced  into 
social  intercourse  than  most  business  subjects.  There- 
fore a  girl  with  a  wide  social  acquaintance  will  have 
as  soon  as  she  begins  work,  a  good  list  of  possible  cus- 
tomers and  a  fairly  accurate  knowledge  of  their  personal 
tastes  and  bank  accounts. 

As  in  all  independent  work,  the  hours  will  be  what 
the  broker  makes  them.  The  length  of  the  busy  season 
depends  upon  the  kind  of  work.  For  buying  and  selling 
suburban  property,  spring  and  summer  is  the  busy  sea- 
son; whereas  for  buying  and  selling  city  property,  and 
especially  renting  apartments,  autumn  and  winter  are 
the  busy  times.  Eent  collecting  will  keep  one  busy  the 
year  round. 

A  girl  who  goes  into  the  real  estate  business,  must 
be  prepared  to  face  the  fact  that  she  is  now  and  then 
a  factor  in  the  tragedies  of  those  among  whom  she 
works.  The  selling  of  a  home,  collecting  rent  when 
a  family  is  very  poor,  ousting  tenants  who  do  not  pay, 


50  AGENCY  WORK 

and  foreclosing  mortgages,  are  transactions  so  closely 
affecting  family  welfare  that  they  often  spell  disaster 
to  those  involved. 

Unfortunately,  this  business  is  one  of  the  most  un- 
certain in  the  world  from  the  point  of  view  of  financial 
returns.  Even  a  successful  real  estate  woman  who  can 
make  $5000  in  a  good  year,  may  make  but  $500  in  a 
poor  one. 

Many  women  are  succeeding  as  real  estate  agents  in 
this  country  today.  Their  patience,  tact  and  attention 
to  detail  fit  them  especially  for  the  work  of  renting 
apartments  and  collecting  rents.  Not  many  are  suc- 
ceeding as  yet  in  the  larger  field  of  suburban  develop- 
ment. 

THE  INSURANCE  AGENT 

To  a  girl  either  in  a  small  town  or  large  city,  the 
insurance  business  opens  up  a  lucrative  field.  Open- 
minded,  intellectual  women  and  girls  who  are  enthusias- 
tic, are  the  ones  who  will  succeed.  The  services  of 
women  of  this  type  are  eagerly  sought. 

Since  there  are  no  training  schools  for  insurance 
agents  or  brokers,  the  school  of  actual  experience  is  the 
only  one  available,  and  in  the  long  run,  it  is  the  best 
school  of  all.  A  sound  knowledge  of  mathematics  how- 
ever, and  special  training  in  logic,  ethics  and  psychology 
would  be  decidedly  helpful. 

In  undertaking  the  insurance  business,  a  beginning 
may  be  made  by  becoming  an  agent  for  some  company. 


THE  INSURANCE  AGENT  51 

Positions  are  not  very  difficult  to  obtain.  'An  agent 
works  for  one  company  only  and  is  employed  by  it 
on  a  commission  basis  or  perhaps  a  salary.  Her  earn- 
ings depend  however,  entirely  on  her  interest  and  good 
management. 

After  some  experience,  an  agent  may  become  a  broker. 
A  broker  works  for  all  companies  in  the  interest  of  the 
insured,  having  a  license  to  do  so  from  the  state  or 
states  where  business  is  carried  on. 

A  broker's  income  depends  entirely  upon  the  number 
of  customers  and  the  amount  of  insurance  carried  by 
each.  Of  course  his  income  is  greater  than  an  agent's 
for  a  broker  works  for  several  companies  while  the 
agent  is  employed  by  only  one  company. 

It  may  be  wise  for  a  woman  just  entering  the  insur- 
ance business  to  specialize  in  one  branch, — especially 
if  she  works  in  a  large  city.  Among  the  various  kinds 
of  insurance  policies  issued,  are  fire,  life,  endowment, 
burglary,  plate  glass,  disability. 

An  important  feature  of  the  work  for  a  beginner  is 
going  about  and  arranging  interviews  with  prospective 
policy  holders.  Possible  customers  may  be  selected 
from  among  personal  acquaintances  or  from  members 
of  some  profession.  As  the  interviews  must  in  any  case 
be  planned  with  system  and  foresight,  a  girl  ought  to 
know  exactly  the  arguments  she  is  going  to  use. 

It  takes  capital  to  establish  such  a  business  but  if  for 
a  period,  say  a  year  or  so,  a  beginning  is  made  with  a 
company  as  a  special  agent,  it  will  not  be  long  before 


52  AGENCY  WORK 

your  commission  will  permit  you  to  open  an  office  of 
your  own.  There  is  plenty  of  room  for  brokerage  firms 
to  be  established  and  operated  by  women,  either  in  large 
cities  or  small  ones. 

The  country  town  also  affords  a  fine  opportunity  for 
a  general  agency  including  several  different  lines  of  this 
work.  Special  agencies  are  given  upon  application  by 
any  company,  provided  all  vacancies  in  the  requested 
district  have  not  been  filled.  No  salary  is  allowed,  but 
as  there  is  only  one  agent  in  a  town,  the  monopoly  of 
business  is  assured  when  the  appointment  is  made. 
Any  responsible  person  who  has  had  a  year's  experience 
of  writing  policies  or  as  an  agent,  and  has  thereupon 
received  a  broker's  license  from  her  state,  may  be  ap- 
pointed. There  isn't  any  reason  why  a  girl  shouldn't 
hold  this  position  as  well  as  a  man. 

A  fair  average  income  would  be  $800  to  $1000  yearly 
during  the  first  few  years  after  a  girl's  entrance  into  this 
work.  Her  own  ability  to  get  business  will  determine 
the  limit  of  her  income.  Some  insurance  brokers  make 
thousands  of  dollars  a  year. 

One  successful  insurance  man  who  is  employed  by 
a  large  company  to  train  agents,  says  that  the  most  im- 
portant thing  for  any  one  in  the  insurance  business 
to  know,  is  how  to  read  human  nature.  For  this  enables 
an  agent  to  decide  what  arguments  to  use  and  in  what 
vein  to  talk  to  any  given  person.  The  second  factor 
for  success,  this  teacher-agent  says,  is  remembering  the 
"policy-average,"  that  is,  the  average  number  of  peo- 


THE  ADVERTISING  AGENT  53 

pie  who  must  be  approached  for  each  cash  policy  writ- 
ten. With  some  women  the  numher  would  be  eleven, 
others  seventeen,  others  twenty-four.  Once  an  agent 
learns  "  policy-average,"  she  is  no  longer  down-hearted 
by  the  people  who  turn  down  her  insurance  proposition. 
She  knows  that  a  certain  number  of  failures  are  a  neces- 
sary factor  in  attaining  final  success. 

THE  ADVERTISING  AGENT 

Like  many  of  the  occupations  you  will  read  about  in 
this  book,  the  position  of  advertising  agent  is  secured 
only  after  a  girl  has  had  experience  in  several  other 
lines  of  business.  Therefore  a  girl  just  graduating  from 
high  school  or  college  is  neither  prepared  nor  capable 
of  holding  any  position  in  an  advertising  office  or  agency 
other  than  that  of  stenographer. 

Advertising  is  the  greatest  means  today  for  increasing 
business.  Every  line  of  business  does  some  advertising, 
no  matter  how  very-little.  It  may  be  the  personal  appeal 
by  letter,  post  card,  blotter,  folder  or  booklet;  the  news- 
paper or  magazine  medium;  or  for  certain  enterprises, 
the  bill  board.  But  whatever  the  medium  employed 
there  must  be  people  who  know  how  to  write  the  ad- 
vertisement with  "  punch." 

First,  last,  and  always,  a  girl  must  have  pluck  if 
she  intends  to  enter  this  field,  especially  if  she  plans 
some  day  to  have  her  own  agency.  This  is  because  there 
is  unfortunately,  an  unreasonable  prejudice  against 
woman's  entrance  into  the  advertising  business,  due 


54  AGENCY  WORK 

perhaps  to  the  fact  that  there  are  few  women  who  own 
their  own  agencies.  There  are  however  many  women 
employed  hy  the  large  agencies  who  do  the  actual  work, 
and  who  many  times  receive  very  little  credit. 

The  girl  who  is  interested  in  advertising,  who  has  an 
inhorn  ahility  not  only  to  write  but  to  fit  the  right  word 
into  the  right  place, — the  word  with  enough  "  punch  " 
to  catch  and  hold  the  eye — is  the  girl  who  will  succeed. 
But  coupled  with  her  writing  ability  and  "  punch,"  a 
girl  must  have  a  knowledge  of  business  methods  and 
conditions. 

The  stenographer  who  secures  a  position  in  an  adver- 
tising agency  (preferably  a  small  one)  opens  to  herself  a 
splendid  training  school.  Here  she  learns  the  way  to 
write  "  copy,"  the  meaning  of  technical  terms  used  in 
advertising,  and  business  methods.  If  she  is  apt,  her 
eyes,  ears  and  brains  are  sharpened,  and  instinctively 
she  learns  the  value  of  color  lines  and  proportion  in 
"  making  up  "  an  advertisement. 

After  a  couple  of  years  if  she  is  bright  and  capable 
she  may  obtain  a  position,  either  with  an  agency  or 
with  a  private  firm.  Women  are  employed  principally 
to  write  advertisements,  for  the  appeal  is  almost  wholly 
to  women.  Women  do  seven  eighths  of  the  buying  of 
clothes,  food  and  household  goods,  etc.  Almost  every 
large  business  house  and  amusement  enterprise  has  an 
advertising  manager,  and  many  of  them  have  one  or 
more  assistants.  Either  the  manager  or  the  assistant 
is  generally  a  woman.  Assistant  advertising  managers 


THE  ADVERTISING  AGENT  55 

receive  from  $25  to  $50  weekly,  while  the  manager 
draws  from  $50  to  $100  a  week,  sometimes  more. 

Even  if  a  firm  employs  an  advertising  manager,  the 
advertising  is  usually  "  placed "  through  an  agency. 
This  saves  time  because  the  advertising  manager  is  con- 
stantly being  approached  by  solicitors  for  one  paper  or 
another.  The  agency  attends  to  these  and  receives  10% 
from  the  paper  or  magazine.  There  are  many  big 
agencies  throughout  the  country  that  employ  many 
"  copy  writers  "  and  artists.  "  Copy  writers  "  receive 
$1200  to  $2500  annually.  The  salary  of  the  woman 
who  exploited  a  famous  cleansing  powder  reached  $7000 
a  year. 

These  agencies  also  employ  artists  to  draw  the  illus- 
trations to  accompany  the  text.  Their  salaries  are  about 
the  same  as  the  "  copy  writers  " — perhaps  a  little  higher. 
To  open  an  agency  and  finance  it  herself  a  girl  will 
need  not  only  a  goodly  sum  of  money  but  an  inexhaust- 
ible spring  of  perseverance.  Before  she  will  be  rec- 
ognized as  an  advertising  agent  by  the  newspapers  she 
must  have  three  "  going  "  accounts.  The  newspapers 
or  magazines  pay  a  10%  commission  to  the  advertising 
agent  for  all  advertisements  she  places  with  them.  So 
unless  a  girl  is  pretty  sure  of  herself,  her  ability,  and 
at  least  three  permanent  customers,  she  had  better 
think  long  and  carefully  before  starting  out  for  herself. 

The  woman  pioneer  to  open  her  own  agency  in  l^ew 
York  City  and  who  today  has  a  lucrative  although 
conservative  business,  says: 


56  AGENCY  WORK 

"  A  woman  is  always  being  set  back,  always  learning 
and  always  fighting  her  way  in  advertising,  specially 
when  she  dares  to  open  her  own  agency.  Newspaper 
experience  and  press  work  are  both  advantageous  to  the 
girl  who  contemplates  the  advertising  business.  The 
knowledge  gained  as  stenographer  in  an  advertising 
agency  is  invaluable,  and  that  seems  to  me  to  be  the  best 
way  to  start  out.  Pluck  is  the  greatest  requirement 
for  success.  The  girl  who  possesses  an  unfailing  supply 
will  surely  succeed  if  she  has  the  grit  to  stick  in  spite 
of  desperate  odds." 

THE  PRESS   AGENT 

There  are  some  positions  that  the  average  girl  knows 
but  little  of,  many  of  which  are  responsible,  interesting 
and  lucrative.  Press  Agent,  we  believe,  is  one  of  these. 

Press  agents  are  employed  by  all  theatrical  and  mov- 
ing picture  enterprises,  as  well  as  by  restaurants.  Then, 
too,  many  well-known  speakers,  singers  and  noted  men 
and  women  have  their  own  private  press  agents,  who 
attend  to  their  interests,  exclusively.  Kecently  many 
business  houses  have  begun  to  employ  press  agents,  al- 
though in  some  cases  the  work  is  being  done  by  the 
advertising  manager. 

The  press  agent's  work  consists  of  discovering,  writ- 
ing and  circulating  interesting  items  about  the  various 
members  and  enterprises  of  her  client, — a  firm,  corpora- 
tion, theater  or  individual.  In  other  words  she  attends 
,to  and  secures,  "  free  advertising,"  if  we  may  so  call  it, 


THE  PRESS  AGENT  57 

in  newspapers,  magazines,  etc.  The  press  agent  also  in 
many  cases,  attends  to  the  publicity  work,  that  is,  the 
writing  of  material  for  pamphlets  for  distribution;  ar- 
ranges for  and  sends  out  invitations  for  special  perform- 
ances or  entertainments. 

A  vivid  imagination  in  connection  with  no  small 
amount  of  writing  ability  is  necessary  in  order  to  be 
successful.  An  attractive  personality,  supplemented  by 
ease  of  manner  in  meeting  people  is  absolutely  essential. 
A  press  agent  meets  all  kinds  of  people  in  the  course  of 
a  day's  work,  and  her  knowledge  of  human  nature  must 
teach  her  how  to  meet  and  treat  each  one.  She  must 
have  a  goodly  amount  of  courage  to  combat  numerous 
obstacles  and  indomitable  perseverance.  A  girl  just 
graduating  from  High  School  or  college  could  scarcely 
except  to  fill  a  press  agent's  job.  Her  source  of  general 
knowledge  would  be  too  small  to  draw  on,  for  a  press 
agent  must  be  a  veritable  fount  of  information  regard- 
ing both  current  events  and  past  occurrences. 

A  press  agent  must  have  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
city  wherein  she  works,  of  its  newspapers,  its  theaters, 
restaurants,  streets  and  famous  people.  It  is  therefore 
difficult  for  an  out-of-town  girl  to  succeed  in  this  work 
in  a  large  city,  until  she  has  been  there  long  enough  to 
know  the  city  like  a  native. 

Press  agents  usually  are  recruited  from  other  profes- 
sions, specially  newspaper  work  which  is  very  good 
training  for  a  press  agent,  for  in  it  a  girl  meets  all 
kinds  of  people,  gains  a  vast  amount  of  information 


58  AGENCY  WORK 

and  learns  to  write  facts  of  interest,  concisely,  snappily 
and  quickly.  A  year  or  two  on  a  newspaper  or  indeed 
a  few  years  spent  in  literary  work  of  any  kind  is  the 
best  way  to  prepare  for  a  position  as  press  agent.  The 
knowledge  of  newspaper  methods  and  acquaintance  with 
editors  will  be  indispensable.  The  ease  of  manner  ac- 
quired in  interviewing  people  will  be  vastly  helpful  to 
the  press  agent  who  will  be  called  upon  to  do  much  in- 
terviewing. 

Fortunately  there  doesn't  seem  to  be  any  prejudice 
against  women  in  this  profession.  In  fact  women  can 
do  many  things  in  it  easier  than  men,  and  their  services 
are  rather  sought  after.  The  one  and  only  way  to  get 
a  position,  is  "  to  be  on  the  job/'  always  watching  for 
an  opportunity.  A  newspaper  woman  who  hears  that 
a  big  theatrical  firm  is  producing  a  new  play,  or  that 
a  new  moving  picture  firm  is  being  incorporated  should 
go  and  try  for  the  job  of  press  agent.  In  many  cases 
the  work  is  far  easier  than  the  newspaper  work  to  which 
she  is  accustomed.  This  is  more  especially  true  in  the 
case  of  moving  picture  concerns  than  of  theatrical  firms 
or  restaurants  where  the  hours  are  often  long  and  ir- 
regular. 

The  salaries  are  somewhat  higher  than  those  paid  to 
beginners  for  most  kinds  of  theatrical  work,  and  there 
is  always  the  hope  of  advancement.  A  press  agent  sel- 
dom receives  less  than  $25  a  week  to  begin.  Salaries 
vary  from  $25  to  $100  a  week,  though  $35  or  $40  is 
considered  about  the  average  for  a  woman. 


THE  ADVANCE  AGENT  59 

'Advancement  comes  through  ability,  luck  and  hard 
work.  Although  the  press  agent's  job  is  not  an  easy 
one,  it  is  full  of  unceasing  change  and  interest.  One 
press  agent  in  New  York  says : 

"  Press  agent's  work  is  delightfully  interesting,  and 
good  work  is  very  much  appreciated.  If  you  do  a 
specially  fine  bit  of  work  it  is  praised,  and  maybe  your 
salary  is  raised.  Make  one  mistake  and  the  whole  office 
is  on  your  head,  but  another  stroke  of  good  luck  will 
wipe  the  misfortune  away." 

The  position  of  press  agent  is  decidedly  well  worth 
consideration  for  the  girl  who  has  literary  ability,  which 
she  desires  to  turn  into  cash  by  quicker  methods  than  by 
the  usual  long  road  to  success  in  fiction  or  most  literary; 
pursuits. 

THE   ADVANCE   AGENT 

'Another  position  which  the  average  girl  knows  little 
or  nothing  about  is  that  of  advance  agent.  Why  in 
the  world  the  word  agent  is  used  in  this  particular  case, 
no  one  quite  knows.  Advance  man  or  advance  woman 
would  be  a  more  proper  title  but  as  "  agent "  is  used 
for  both  sexes,  we  shall  use  it  here. 

The  theatrical  profession  perhaps  offers  more  interest- 
ing positions  to  men  and  women  than  any  other  line  of 
business.  Something  from  the  highest  art  to  the  lowest 
industry  is  employed  in  the  building  of  a  successful 
play,  and  it  seems  as  if  there  is  a  niche  for  almost 
everybody  in  some  branch  of  the  theatrical  profession. 


60  AGENCY  WORK 

An  advance  woman  goes  out  ahead  of  a  play,  a  mov- 
ing picture,  a  concert,  or  whatever  the  entertainment 
may  be,  and  lays  the  groundwork.  In  other  words 
the  advance  woman  arrives  in  a  city  or  town  about  ten 
days  before  the  opening  of  the  attraction.  She  arranges 
advertising  with  the  manager  of  the  theater — the  house 
manager,  in  the  parlance  of  the  theater;  looks  up  the 
times  of  arrival  and  departure  of  trains ;  arranges  hotel 
accommodations  for  the  cast,  signs  contracts  for  the 
transportation  of  baggage;  and  in  short,  attends  to 
everything  which  will  smooth  the  way  for  the  company 
when  it  arrives,  and  blaze  the  trail  for  its  success  in 
that  town.  Many  times  advance  agents  also  handle  the 
publicity,  see  the  editors  of  local  newspapers,  "  plant " 
photographs  and  write  the  press  matter  when  necessary. 
Sometimes  a  press  agent  is  engaged  to  do  the  "  advance 
work  "  on  a  new  show,  and  thus  combines  both  jobs  in 
one. 

An  advance  woman  receives  from  $60  to  $125  a  week. 
Her  railroad  fares  are  paid,  but  she  must  pay  her  living 
expenses  out  of  her  salary.  When  a  press  agent  "  goes 
on  the  road  "  for  a  few  days  at  a  time  both  hotel  expenses 
and  railroad  fares  are  paid  for  her. 

It  is  only  within  the  last  year  or  so  that  women  have 
done  "  advance  work."  They  have  proven  themselves 
so  capable  that  more  women  are  being  engaged  for  this 
work  all  the  time.  It  has  been  learned  that  they  are 
more  steady  and  reliable  than  men,  and  are  more  apt 
"  to  be  on  the  job."  Then  too  a  woman,  by  utilizing 


THE  ADVANCE  AGENT  61 

her  personality,  can  often  talk  a  newspaper  editor  into 
using  a  story  or  photograph,  where  a  man  would  fail 
hopelessly. 

On  the  advance  woman  depends  in  some  measure  the 
success  of  the  play ;  and  thus  a  great  responsibility  rests 
on  her  shoulders.  A  good  advance  woman  is  invaluable 
and  need  never  be  out  of  a  job.  Of  course  the  work 
keeps  her  constantly  traveling,  just  like  a  commercial 
traveler;  and  there  is  always  the  thought  of  possible 
weeks  of  idleness  which  constantly  occur  in  the  theat- 
rical profession,  although  as  I  said  before,  a  clever 
advance  woman  need  never  be  out  of  work. 

Of  course  a  young  girl  could  hardly  expect  to  tackle 
a  position  of  this  kind.  It  is  a  good  goal  to  have  in 
mind,  however,  and  with  this  as  an  object  to  work  to- 
ward, a  girl  may  get  a  job  where  she  can  glean  as  much 
information  and  acquire  as  much  knowledge  as  possible 
about  this  field.  The  best  way  to  work  up  to  it  perhaps 
is  to  obtain  a  position  in  a  theatrical  office. 

But  to  fill  a  job  of  this  sort  well,  a  girl  must  be  sure 
of  herself,  of  her  ability  to  manage  people ;  be  a  "  good 
fellow  "  and  at  the  same  time  be  able  to  keep  people 
at  a  proper  distance.  She  must  dress  smartly  which  is 
difficult  when  she  is  constantly  on  trains  and  "  living 
in  a  trunk."  The  latter  grows  wearisome  after  a  time, 
and  unless  a  girl  is  of  a  wandering  disposition  and  likes 
to  travel,  she  ought  not  to  think  of  a  position  of  this 
kind.  For,  although  it  may  attract  for  a  time,  deep 
down  in  every  girl's  heart  there  is  a  longing  for  her 


62  AGENCY  WORK 

own  home,  and  after  awhile  she  tires  of  traveling.  .  If 
she  does,  by  that  time  she  knows  the  theatrical  business 
so  well  that  there  may  be  some  sort  of  a  position  in 
the  home  office  for  her,  and  there  doubtless  will  be  if 
she  has  proven  her  worth  to  her  employer. 

THE  BOOKING  AGENT 

A  booking  agent  for  a  theatrical  firm  arranges  the 
routes  for  the  plays  on  the  road,  negotiating  for  their 
transportation.  She  sometimes  travels  for  weeks  with 
the  company  until  the  route  is  straightened  out  and 
everything  is  in  smooth  running  order.  This  means 
that  a  booking  agent  must  be  familiar  with  the  railroad 
and  steamship  lines,  know  the  size  of  the  theaters  in 
each  town  where  the  play  is  booked  to  appear,  as  well 
as  its  population.  The  route  must  be  arranged  with 
an  eye  to  railroad  fares,  for  these  form  a  large  item  in 
the  year's  expenses. 

A  booking  agent  holds  a  very  important  position  in  a 
theatrical  firm.  The  position  is  one  of  trust  and  there 
is  not  any  reason  why  a  clever  industrious  girl  could 
not  hold  such  a  position  as  well  as  any  man,  provided 
she  is  willing  to  apply  herself  diligently.  The  salary 
is  well  worth  the  trouble.  It  differs  with  the  various 
firms,  changes  many  times  according  to  the  trend  of  the 
theatrical  season,  but  usually  runs  into  the  thousands 
yearly. 

A  booking  agent  who  has  her  own  office  does  but  little 
road  booking  of  plays.  She  usually  handles  entertainers 


THE  BOOKING  AGENT  63 

for  private  or  semi-private  entertainments.  There  are 
two  divisions  here.  One  agent  will  handle  nothing  but 
"  club  bookings  " — which  means  supplying  acts  for  club 
entertainments.  Another  agent  books  only  the  highest 
class  singers,  monologists,  pianists,  etc.,  for  private 
home  musicales  and  hotel  recitals.  Occasionally  one 
agent  will  handle  both  club  and  private  bookings  but 
this  is  seldom  done. 

Of  course,  no  matter  what  kind  of  talent  she  books, 
the  agent  must  understand  acting,  music  and  singing — 
in  fact  she  must  know  whether  or  not  each  and  every 
person  she  engages  is  worth  finding  engagements  for. 
This  means  that  before  a  girl  can  become  a  booking 
agent  she  must  be  able  to  differentiate  between  talent 
and  would-be  talent 

If  a  club  intends  to  give  an  entertainment  with  pro- 
fessional talent,  it  will  call  up  a  booking  agent,  tell  her 
how  much  money  it  wishes  to  spend  on  that  occasion, 
and  how  many  people  or  acts  are  desired.  Sometimes 
suggestions  are  offered  as  to  the  sort  of  entertainments 
wanted,  or  as  to  some  one  person  the  club  would  like  to 
have  for  that  evening  if  he  is  available.  More  often 
this  is  left  entirely  to  the  agent.  Then  it  is  her  duty 
to  secure  the  best  possible  talent  for  the  money — from 
which  she  deducts  her  commission,  which  is  usually  ten 
per  cent — and  to  decide  upon  the  style  of  entertainment 
which  will  please. 

All  the  opera  stars,  lecturers,  dancers,  actresses  and 
actors,  w_ho  appear  at  recitals,  concerts  and  musicales 


64  AGENCY  WORK 

have  managers  or  booking  agents  to  secure  engagements 
for  them  and  arrange  their  public  recitals.  Many  book- 
ing agents  have  entered  the  motion  picture  field  and 
supply  whole  casts  for  productions,  including  the  extras 
who  work  for  a  few  dollars  a  day.  Of  course  agents 
who  do  this  latter  have  a  great  deal  more  work  on  their 
shoulders  than  those  who  simply  "  manage  "  a  few  stars. 
They  must  of  necessity  have  a  great  many  people  on 
their  books,  as  well  as  keen  knowledge  of  each  person's 
capabilities. 

Many  women  who  have  been  professional  actors  or 
entertainers  themselves,  and  have  tired  of  the  life  or 
have  been  perhaps  forced  out  of  it  by  ill  health  or  lack 
of  engagements  or  some  other  reason,  become  booking 
agents.  They  have  the  advantage  of  having  a  large 
acquaintanceship,  a  thorough  knowledge  of  many  per- 
sons' ability,  and  the  inside  knowledge  and  friendship 
of  theatrical  and  film  companies. 

The  one  and  only  way  to  gain  experience  in  this  line 
is  to  obtain  a  position  in  a  booking  agent's  office  either 
as  stenographer  or  as  an  assistant.  Here  the  business 
may  be  learned,  acquaintance  with  both  the  people  who 
employ  and  those  who  are  employed,  may  be  made,  and 
finally  the  experience  in  discriminating  valuable  from 
worthless  material  acquired. 

This  business  is  an  interesting  one  for  it  brings  a 
girl  in  contact  with  all  classes  of  people  and  gives  her 
ample  time  and  opportunity  to  study  human  nature. 
Since  she  meets  the  same  class  of  people  as  she  would 


THE  BOOKING  AGENT  65 

on  the  stage,  many  fathers  and  mothers  may  object  to 
it.  But  the  girl  is  no  more  likely  to  be  exposed  to  harm 
than  in  any  other  office. 

The  booking  agent  in  a  theatrical  office,  and  the 
private  booking  agent  are  alike  inasmuch  as  they  both 
arrange  for  the  presentation  either  of  players  or  plays. 
They  are  unlike  inasmuch  as  the  former  is  usually  sure 
of  the  amount  she  will  receive  in  her  pay  envelope 
each  week,  and  the  latter  is  never  sure. 


MISCELLANEOUS  BUSINESS 
OPPORTUNITIES 

THE  TELEPHONE   OPERATOR 

THE  telephone  business  offers  a  means  of  livelihood  to 
girls,  which  like  many  others  may  have  much  said  both 
for  and  against  it. 

The  conditions  under  which  a  telephone  operator 
may  have  to  work  vary  greatly.  Sometimes  a  telephone 
operator  works  in  an  agreeably  lighted,  well-ventilated 
office  amid  healthful  surroundings  of  every  kind. 
Nevertheless  the  extremely  high  tension  maintained  by 
the  excessive  speed  necessary  may  ruin  her  nervous 
system.  This  is  specially  true  in  central  offices.  Often 
when  a  girl  operates  a  private  switchboard,  she  will 
be  tucked  away  in  a  dark  corner  of  a  dingy,  draughty 
hall,  poorly  lighted  and  ventilated.  Her  work,  however, 
will  be  comparatively  light.  Sometimes  in  good  sur- 
roundings the  strain  of  work  will  not  be  excessive,  and 
a  girl  can  work  steadily  for  years  without  it  affecting 
her  in  any  way. 

To  be  eligible  for  a  position  as  telephone  operator, 
a  girl  must  have  had  a  grammar  school  education,  pref- 
erably some  high  school  training,  write  a  legible  hand, 
possess  intelligence  and  good  health,  and  present  a  good 
appearance.  She  is  especially  examined  for  nervous- 

66 


THE  TELEPHONE  OPERATOR     67 

ness.  She  should  have  a  clear,  well  modulated  voice, 
without  any  impediment  of  speech,  good  eyesight, 
unimpaired  hearing,  ability  to  think  and  act  quickly, 
and  to  perform  the  manual  operations  of  the  work 
deftly  and  accurately. 

As  a  telephone  office  is  a  busy  place,  it  is  hardly 
necessary  to  say  that  it  isn't  any  place  for  drones.  A 
girl  must  be  able  to  concentrate  on  her  work,  often  every 
minute  of  the  day,  or  she  cannot  hold  a  job  as  telephone 
operator. 

Undoubtedly  the  strain  on  the  telephone  operator  is 
not  so  great  in  a  small  town  as  in  a  great  metropolis. 
The  iron  nerves  required  in  the  latter  place  are  not 
quite  so  necessary  in  the  former.  Then,  too,  as  the 
telephone  organization  in  a  small  town  is  frequently  less 
efficient,  mistakes  are  more  readily  condoned.  Often  in 
very  small  towns  one  day  and  one  night-operator  is  all 
that  is  required. 

A  girl  must  remember  that  the  subscribers  in  a  city, 
used  to  well  trained  operators,  will  not  stand  the  loss 
of  time  and  perhaps  money,  the  inaccuracy  and  trouble 
in  securing  a  number,  which  is  accepted  as  part  of  the 
system  in  small  towns. 

Telephone  companies  maintain  schools,  presided  over 
by  competent  instructors  for  the  training  of  telephone 
operators.  While  learning  a  girl  is  paid  $6  a  week, 
the  course  of  study  covering  a  period  of  seven  weeks, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  the  student's  real  work  as  an 
operator  begins.  Since  it  is  not  expected  that  she  will 


,68       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

at  first  be  able  to  handle  as  many  calls  as  more  expe- 
rienced operators,  the  beginner  is  often  given  night 
work.  Having  mastered  the  rudiments  of  the  business 
she  will,  however,  day  by  day,  acquire  increased  con- 
fidence and  greater  skill. 

Telephone  operating  has  certain  advantages  over 
other  occupations  for  girls.  The  work  is  permanent,  so 
long  as  a  girl  is  physically  able  to  hold  her  job.  There 
are  no  dull  seasons  when  girls  are  laid  off.  She  is  al- 
ways sure  of  her  pay  envelope,  and  knows  just  how 
much  she  will  receive  weekly.  The  salaries  compare 
favorably  with  those  paid  young  women  in  other  work 
requiring  similar  skill. 

There  is,  however,  one  serious  drawback  in  the  central 
office  positions.  Night  work  is  required.  There  are 
three  shifts  of  operators  during  the  twenty-four  hours. 

After  seven  weeks  of  study  the  student  spends  only 
half  of  each  day  at  the  telephone  school  and  the  other 
half  of  each  day  at  actual  work.  She  will  receive  $27.50 
when  she  begins  work  and  is  raised  till  she  is  getting 
$35  a  month  at  the  end  of  her  first  year.  At  the  end  of 
her  second  year  she  gets  $40  a  month.  Ten  per  cent  of 
operators  receive  $60  a  month  at  the  end  of  their  third 
year.  Supervisors  are  paid  from  $60  to  $75  a  month. 
Assistant  chief  operators  receive  from  $65  to  $95 
monthly.  Naturally  but  few  girls  can  hope  for  the 
latter  salaries  for  there  are  but  few  such  positions. 

Girls  working  in  the  central  offices  of  telephone  com- 
panies have  no  direct  contact  with  the  public.  Thus 


THE  TELEGRAPH  OPERATOR     69 

they  avoid  the  dangers  and  unpleasantness  which  are 
possible  in  meeting  people  in  the  business  world.  At 
the  same  time  they  lose  the  stimulation  and  interest 
which  come  from  personal  contact  with  those  we  serve. 

In  the  central  offices,  telephone  companies  furnish 
not  only  rest  rooms  where  girls  may  lie  down  during 
their  fifteen  minute  rest  periods,  but  also  dining  rooms 
where  nourishing  food  may  be  purchased  at  a  minimum 
cost  The  rooms  are  uniformly  clean,  well  lighted, 
heated,  and  provided  with  reading  matter. 

Girls  having  the  necessary  qualifications  and  willing 
to  apply  themselves  diligently,  have  little  to  fear  in  this 
work  except  the  possibility  of  a  nervous  breakdown. 

Few  girls  stay  with  telephone  companies  more  than 
three  or  four  years,  because  the  work  is  so  arduous. 
Many  leave  and  become  operators  of  private  switch- 
boards. They  have  the  same  hours  but  easier  work. 
The  salaries  are  slightly  higher  than  those  paid  by  the 
companies,  carrying  from  $12  to  $18  a  week. 

All  office  buildings,  hotels,  apartment  houses,  and  de- 
partment stores  employ  one  or  more  operators.  Oper- 
ators in  courts  receive  from  $1200  to  $2000  a  year, 
with  three  months'  vacation  in  the  summer. 

THE  TELEGRAPH   OPERATOR 

Unless  a  girl  has  a  very  strong  constitution,  good 
hearing  and  does  not  know  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"nerves,"  she  should  not  choose  telegraphy  as  her 
occupation.  This  is  the  advice  of  every  woman  in  the 


70       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

field  today.  It  is  a  hard  business  for  a  woman, — the 
hours  are  long,  and  the  salary  is  comparatively  small, 
considering  the  physical  and  mental  strain  under  which 
the  telegraph  operator  works. 

However,  if  the  occupation  appeals  to  a  girl  and  she 
is  willing  to  take  the  risk  of  the  unending  strain,  let 
her  get  a  position  as  check  girl  with  a  telegraph  com- 
pany. A  check  girl  carries  messages  in  the  office  from 
one  wire  to  another.  She  is  permitted  to  practise  teleg- 
raphy one  hour  a  day  and  may  stay  after  regular 
office  hours  to  practise  if  she  is  ambitious,  and  not  too 
weary.  For  the  girl  who  studies  this  way  the  time  of 
probation  is  often  long  and  tiresome. 

However,  if  she  prefers  she  may  go  to  a  school  to 
study.  In  obtaining  a  position  however,  the  check  girl 
who  has  learned  from  practical  experience  in  the  com- 
pany's offices,  will  ofttimes  be  given  the  preference 
over  the  graduate  of  a  school. 

In  a  telegraphy  school,  the  course  is  six  months 
and  costs  ten  dollars  ($10)  a  month.  The  night  school 
(four  nights  a  week)  costs  five  dollars  (5)  a  month, 
but  of  course,  this  method  takes  a  little  longer.  After 
the  completion  of  the  course  a  student  enters  as  an 
apprentice  with  a  telegraph  company,  working  for  three 
months  without  pay. 

In  the  offices  of  the  telegraph  companies,  the  hours 
are  long.  In  the  main  office,  operators  work  9%  hours 
a  day,  with  one  half  an  hour  for  lunch  and  one  quarter 
of  an  hour  of  rest  in  the  morning  and  the  same  in  the 


THE  TELEGRAPH  OPERATOR     71 

afternoon.  The  rest  periods  are  much  needed,  for  the 
operators  are  usually  exhausted  after  a  few  hours  at 
their  keyboard.  Operators  in  branch  offices  work  ten 
hours  a  day.  There  are  not  any  complete  holidays  for 
telegraph  operators.  Employees  are  given  one  half  a 
day  on  six  of  the  legal  holidays.  In  case  of  absence, 
no  matter  what  the  cause,  pay  is  deducted  for  every 
minute  the  operator  is  away  from  the  office. 

A  check  girl  usually  receives  $3.50  a  week.  When 
she  is  given  a  wire,  her  salary  becomes  $8  a  week,  and 
is  increased  $1  every  six  months  for  two  years,  until 
she  is  receiving  $12  in  her  pay  envelope  each  week. 
Branch  operators  begin  at  $35  a  month,  working  up  to 
$40.  Few  receive  over  that,  although  some  few  do 
achieve  $50.  The  highest  salary  attained  by  a  woman 
in  the  company's  offices  is  $18  a  week.  Very  few  ever 
reach  that  amount.  Positions  in  brokers'  offices  are  far 
more  desirable,  paying  from  $18  to  $25  a  week.  Rail- 
road operators  receive  $45  to  $60  a  month.  In  news- 
paper offices,  telegraphers  are  paid  $35  a  week  for  seven 
hours'  work  a  day,  but  exceptional  accuracy  and  in- 
telligence are  required  as  well  as  the  ability  to  undergo 
the  excessive  strain. 

There  are  comparatively  few  women  in  the  telegraph 
business,  because  of  the  nervous  strain  involved.  Five 
years  are  required  for  the  development  of  a  thoroughly 
expert  telegrapher.  By  this  time  the  average  girl  is 
worked  out  and  no  amount  of  pleasure  and  joy  in  her 
work  will  ever  recompense  her  for  ill  health.  In  view 


72       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

of  this  fact,  and  the  low  rate  of  payment  compared  with 
other  positions,  it  seems  as  if  this  is  one  of  the  occupa- 
tions which  girls  ought  to  shun. 

THE  ELEVATOR  OPERATOR 

The  war  has  opened  many  new  fields  of  endeavor  to 
women,  one  of  which  is  that  of  elevator  runner.  Just 
why  this  occupation  would  attract  any  girl  is  something 
of  a  mystery,  except  that  the  salary  is  not  a  bad  one 
for  the  untrained  girl  who  is  suddenly  forced  to  earn 
her  own  living  and  cannot  afford  to  spend  time  or 
money  in  studying  something  worth  while. 

Elevator  work  requires  fairly  steady  nerves;  that  is 
about  all.  A  girl  usually  works  eight  hours  a  day  with 
a  half  hour  rest  period  in  the  forenoon  and  afternoon, 
in  addition  to  her  regular  lunch  hour.  The  salary 
ranges  from  $12  to  $15  a  week. 

The  great  disadvantages  to  this  position  are  the 
absolute  lack  of  any  chance  of  advancement  financially 
or  mentally,  plus  the  fact  that  the  girl  usually  works 
is  a  constant  draught  which  in  time  may  affect  her 
health.  This  is  more  true  in  office  buildings  than  stores, 
or  hotels. 

Many  hotels,  apartments,  department  stores  and 
office  buildings  have  signified  their  intention  of  retain- 
ing their  women  to  run  the  elevators,  because  they  can 
get  a  higher  grade  of  girl  for  this  work  than  they 
could  men  for  the  wages  offered.  Then,  too,  girls  are 
more  willing  and  obliging. 


THE  TEA  ROOM  MANAGER  73 

There  is  however  absolutely  no  advancement,  and  no 
girl  with  an  iota  of  ambition  will  think  of  remaining 
on  a  job  of  this  kind  unless  it  is  merely  to  earn  sufficient 
money  to  support  herself  while  she  studies  something 
worth  while. 

THE  TEA  ROOM  MANAGER . 

Quite  recently  a  number  of  girls  have  established 
themselves  successfully  as  managers  of  lunch  or  tea 
rooms.  Running  a  tea  room  is  a  pleasant,  remunerative 
occupation  for  the  capable  girl,  whether  she  lives  in  the 
city,  town  or  country. 

Like  all  other  successful  business  women,  she  will 
need  perseverance,  tact  in  dealing  with  customers  and 
employees,  and  besides,  she  should  have  that  special 
home-making  gift  which  will  enable  her  to  plan  and 
serve  delicious  food  in  dainty  attractive  surroundings. 

The  country  girl  is  at  no  disadvantage  in  this  work. 
Now  that  automobiles  are  in  such  common  use,  thou- 
sands of  formerly  unknown  and  out-of-the-way  places 
are  passed  by  dozens  of  hungry  tourists  daily,  on  holi- 
days by  hundreds.  Many  a  country  home  has  a  broad, 
pleasant  piazza  or  a  large,  light  room  which,  with 
plain,  light-colored  walls  and  harmonious  hangings  of 
dimity  or  chintz,  can  be  made  an  effective  background 
for  a  prosperous  business. 

If  a  girl  buys  carefully,  a  small  capital  will  go  a  long 
way.  Plain,  unvarnished  kitchen  chairs  and  tables 
may  be  stained  green  or  painted  white.  If  you  have 


74       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

any  bits  of  old  china,  bring  them  out,  but  put  them  on 
shelves,  not  on  the  tables.  For  service,  use  simple, 
cheap  ware  but  not  too  heavy.  Be  sure  to  get  open 
stock  so  that  broken  pieces  may  be  easily  replaced.  Im- 
maculate table  linen,  where  any  is  used,  is  an  essential. 
But  much  can  be  saved  in  laundry  bills  by  substituting 
small  doilies  for  tablecloths.  Also  the  bare  tables,  with 
paper  napkins,  may  be  made  to  look  picturesque  in  a 
suburban  tea  or  lunch  room  if  fresh  leaves  and  flowers 
are  strewn  daintily  on  the  tables. 

Of  course,  the  preparation  of  the  food  and  the  service 
are  of  the  utmost  importance.  But  many  a  girl  has  the 
natural  gifts  and  sufficient  experience  to  enable  her  to 
do  both  very  well  indeed.  Have  plenty  of  bread  and 
butter,  preserves,  and  other  eatables  that  can  be 
quickly  made  into  attractive  dishes,  and  which  may  be 
kept  from  day  to  day.  The  trick  of  making  varied  and 
delicious  omelets  is  an  important  asset  for  the  girl  of 
the  tea  room. 

A  course  in  Domestic  Science  is  usually  necessary 
for  the  city  girl,  but  her  country  cousin  has  often  had 
enough  training  in  her  own  home  to  justify  her  in 
hanging  out  her  sign  of  the  tea  kettle  and  proceeding 
to  business. 

Customers  will  probably  come  slowly  at  first,  and 
the  fact  must  be  faced  that  they  may  never  come  in 
sufficient  numbers  to  justify  the  enterprise. 

The  city  girl  can  readily  command  wider  attention 
than  can  her  country  cousin,  but  she  has  many  competi- 


THE  TEA  ROOM  MANAGER  75 

tors  (restaurants,  hotels  and  other  tea  rooms).  Before 
a  girl  opens  a  tea  room  of  her  own  in  the  city,  she 
should  have  had  considerable  experience  gained  through 
working  for  others,  as  cashier  or  assistant  in  a  similar 
enterprise. 

Her  original  outlay  must  be  larger  than  the  country 
girl's.  Expenses  for  linen,  silverware,  china  and 
kitchen  equipment  may  run  up  into  hundreds  of  dol- 
lars. Besides  the  items  of  rent,  food  and  service,  there 
are  other  heavy  expenses,  such  as  gas,  telephone  and 
advertising. 

The  degree  of  her  success  will  depend  in  great  meas- 
ure upon  her  selection  of  a  location,  the  charm  and 
individuality  of  her  place,  and  the  excellence  and  cheap- 
ness of  the  food  she  serves.  Her  personality  will  also 
count  for  much,  for  the  patrons  of  a  tea  room  like  to 
feel  at  home,  and  prefer  to  go  to  the  place  where  they 
will  be  greeted  by  a  cordial  hostess.  Women,  especially, 
often  regard  her  as  a  bureau  of  information,  and  ask 
all  sorts  of  friendly  questions  on  household  and  other 
topics.  A  clever  tea  room  proprietor  will  make  it  her 
business  not  to  be  too  busy  to  respond  to  these  personal 
demands,  for  her  success  will  depend  in  no  small  meas- 
ure upon  the  friendliness  of  her  customers. 

At  present,  the  field  of  lunch  and  tea  room  manage- 
ment does  not  seem  to  be  overcrowded.  Many  women 
are  succeeding  notably  in  it.  Interesting  stories  are 
told  by  many  of  them  of  the  steps  by  which  they  have 
arrived  at  success.  Two  girls;  while  still  in  college, 


76       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

hired  a  bungalow  near  a  fashionable  summer  resort. 
They  fitted  up  one  room  and  the  piazza  with  chairs 
and  tables,  hung  out  their  shingle,  and  waited  for 
guests.  Tennis  players,  golfers,  motorists  crowded  the 
tiny  place,  demanding  tea,  lemonade  and  sandwiches. 
At  the  end  of  each  summer,  the  girls  cleared  several 
hundred  dollars,  and  when  they  graduated  from  college, 
they  had  sufficient  capital  to  establish  a  tea  room  in  their 
home  city.  They  now  have  several  successful  branches 
both  in  the  city  and  the  country,  and  are  planning,  in 
addition,  to  take  over  the  management  of  an  apartment 
hotel. 

THE  FLORIST 

The  florist  business  will  no  doubt  appeal  to  girls 
with  a  natural  love  of  flowers  and  growing  plants, 
though  there  are  many  factors  which  make  it  a  hard  one 
for  women.  A  wonderfully  strong  constitution  is  neces- 
sary to  be  able  to  work  all  night  and  be  on  the  job 
the  next  day,  as  is  sometimes  necessary  when  special 
blooms  are  to  be  cared  for  or  when  sudden  changes  in 
temperature  are  to  be  met.  Hard  work  and  lots  of  it 
will  be  necessary  to  success. 

A  girl  may  start  at  about  $5  a  week  in  a  florist's 
shop  to  gain  experience.  Here  she  would  do  anything 
demanded  of  her,  meanwhile  learning  the  relative 
buying  and  selling  prices,  the  different  flowers  for 
every  season,  the  arrangement  of  flowers  for  different 
sorts  of  bouquets,  also  the  special  requirements  for 


THE  FLORIST  77 

wedding,  funeral  and  social  orders.  Besides  trying  to 
learn  all  that  another  can  teach  her,  let  every  girl 
preserve  as  a  valuable  asset  and  develop  as  a  precious 
gift  any  individuality  or  originality  she  may  possess  in 
the  arrangement  of  flowers.  When  she  has  a  shop  of 
her  own  this  individuality  will  he  indispensable  to  her 
success. 

Capital  of  course  is  necessary,  for  it  is  a  big  under- 
taking to  start  in  business  and  build  up  a  trade.  Rents 
differ  according  to  locality,  and  flower  prices  must  be 
graded  likewise.  An  attractive  store  with  large  show 
windows  for  display  of  stock  is  a  necessity.  The  in- 
terior of  the  shop  should  be  made  to  advertise  one's 
artistic  ability,  so  that  it  will  make  your  customers 
confident  that  the  flowers  they  will  buy  will  receive 
artistic  treatment.  The  initial  expense  required  to 
decorate  the  store  is  one  most  worth  while.  A  large 
serviceable  ice  box  for  the  preservation  of  stock  which 
will  also  cost  money  must  be  regarded  as  money  well 
spent.  Then  there  is  the  added  expense  of  waxed  paper, 
wrapping  paper,  attractive  boxes  for  delivery,  ribbon, 
etc. 

As  proprietor,  the  girl  must  dress  pleasingly,  be 
cheerful  in  manner  and  be  on  hand  at  all  hours. 

The  loss  is  tremendous  in  this  business,  owing  to 
the  perishable  nature  of  the  stock;  and  to  offset  this 
loss,  an  enormous  profit  must  be  made.  It  takes  a  very 
long  time  to  build  up  a  trade  unless  a  girl  has  many 
friends  who  are  interested  in  her  success. 


78       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

The  florist  business  seems  to  be  better  suited  to  women 
than  men  in  certain  ways,  for  women  are  more  likely  to 
be  artistic  in  the  shading  of  colors,  tying  of  ribbons  and 
arrangement  of  blossoms.  A  girl  with  a  highly  de- 
veloped sense  of  decoration  could  no  doubt  be  a  success 
in  the  decoration  of  luncheon  and  dinner  tables,  etc. 
Few  women,  however,  have  the  strength  required  to  lift 
heavy  plants,  to  stand  the  long,  hard  hours  or  the 
nervous  strain  occasioned  by  fear  of  loss  of  perishable 
stock.  Nevertheless,  in  spite  of  the  hardships  there 
are  many  women  in  the  business. 

One  successful  New  York  woman  has  been  in  the 
business  eleven  years  and  has  owned  her  own  business 
for  the  past  four  years.  She  started  with  a  capital  of 
$1000,  and  though  she  has  been  more  than  successful 
and  loves  her  work,  she  warns  girls  from  entering  into 
it 

"  It  is  too  hard  a  strain,  both  mentally  and  phys- 
ically," she  says.  "  I  could  hardly  advise  a  girl  to  enter 
the  business.  But  any  girl  exceptionally  qualified  to 
do  so  and  having  a  great  love  for  it  and  determined  to 
become  a  florist  whether  encouraged  or  not,  stands  a 
chance  of  success,  in  spite  of  all  handicaps." 

The  florist  business  offers  a  splendid  opportunity  to 
the  out-of-town  girl  who  has  her  own  garden.  If  she 
cannot  afford  a  greenhouse  of  her  own,  she  could  open 
a  shop  in  cooperation  with  some  one  who  has  one.  In 
summer  old-fashioned  flowers  from  her  own  garden  will 
be  in  demand,  and  in  winter  the  greenhouse  flowers  will 


THE  FLORIST  79 

sell.  In  Red  Bank,  New  Jersey,  there  is  a  florist  shop 
run  by  two  sisters.  In  winter  they  do  a  flourishing 
business,  better  even  than  in  summer,  when  most  of 
their  neighbors  have  their  own  garden  flowers. 

A  girl  who  expects  to  become  a  florist  would  be  wise 
to  turn  her  attention  to  what  Japan  has  to  say  in  regard 
to  flowers.  There  have  been  established  lately  at 
Columbia  University,  classes  in  which  a  Japanese 
woman  teaches  the  age-old  art  of  flower  arrangement, 
as  known  in  Chrysanthemum  Land.  Much  also  can  be 
learned  from  Japanese  prints  and  pictures.  Moreover 
the  Japanese  literature  that  is  available  to  English 
readers  would  be  helpful.  For  some  reason  no  one 
has  as  yet  applied  all  this  to  the  florist  trade  in  Amer- 
ica. But  it  will  be  a  distinct  artistic  contribution  which 
some  American  girl  can  make  as  a  happy  pioneer  in 
this  field. 

Many  of  the  hotels  in  the  big  cities  are  employing 
girls  and  women  to  buy  and  arrange  all  their  floral 
decorations.  This  includes  buying  flowers  for  the  daily 
table  decorations,  and  also  the  handling  of  the  decora- 
tions for  weddings,  banquets,  etc.  This  position  is  a 
delightful  one  and  gives  the  girl  many  unusual  op- 
portunities for  exercising  her  artistic  taste  and  skill. 

Although  this  field  is  a  limited  one,  it  is  also  a 
constantly  growing  one  and  there  is  always  room  every- 
where for  the  girl  who  can  really  "  deliver  the  goods." 


80       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

THE    MODEL 

When  the  word  "  model "  is  mentioned,  the  majority 
of  people  think  either  of  the  manikin  parading  daily 
in  beautiful  clothes  in  a  wholesale  house,  or  of  an  artist's 
model.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  models  are  employed  in 
both  artistic  and  commercial  lines,  but  since  more  girls 
are  engaged  in  the  latter,  we  shall  discuss  that  type  of 
work  first. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  commercial  modeling: 
cloak  and  suit,  dress  and  waist,  hat,  lingerie,  hair,  shoes, 
fashion  reviews  and  for  photographs,  advertisements, 
etc.  Of  course  to  be  a  model  in  any  of  these  lines,  a 
girl  must  have  a  good  figure  and  be  as  perfectly  pro- 
portioned as  possible.  She  must  have  well-formed  hands 
and  feet,  and  be  able  to  wear  her  clothes  with  a  certain 
amount  of  distinction  and  style.  This  last  is  as  im- 
portant as  a  good  figure  and  beauty. 
;  Models  must  spend  considerable  time,  thought  and 
money  on  their  personal  appearance — on  hands,  hair, 
teeth  and  skin.  Brains  are  not  essential,  but  the  ability 
to  stand  still  is  most  necessary,  especially  in  the  case  of 
modeling  for  commercial  photographs  where  the  model 
is  obliged  to  hold  a  certain  pose  for  some  minutes. 
There  was  a  time  when  it  was  thought  that  beautiful 
girls  did  not  possess  or  need  brains.  The  truth  of  the 
matter  is,  that  beautiful  girls  imagined  they  could  glide 
through  life  on  their  looks  without  utilizing  their  braina 
as  nature  intended  they  should.  But  models  are  begin- 


THE  MODEL  81 

ning  to  realize  that  brains  are  a  decided  asset,  and  in 
this  work  today  it  is  the  girl  who  has  brains  plus  beauty 
who  most  rapidly  attains  success. 

All  wholesale  clothing  houses,  fashionable  modistes 
as  well  as  many  department  stores,  employ  models  to 
display  their  creations.  Wholesale  concerns  retain  one 
or  two  models  all  the  year  and  at  the  rush  seasons  take 
on  several  more  for  six  or  eight  weeks. 

Cloak  and  suit  models  must  be  tall  and  willowy,  and 
are  usually  required  to  be  a  "  36  "  or  a  sixteen-year-old 
size.  Advertisements  in  the  papers  will  tell  a  girl  where 
to  apply,  and  upon  reading  them  she  will  find  that  they 
generally  call  for  tall  girls.  However,  manufacturers 
of  misses'  clothing  sometimes  require  stouter  and 
shorter  girls  as  models  for  the  so-called  "  flapper " 
clothes. 

In  wholesale  establishments  the  model  exhibits  the 
merchandise  to  buyers  for  department  stores,  etc.,  while 
in  the  modiste  shops  and  department  stores  she  shows  it 
to  a  retail  customer  who,  intending  to  purchase  a  gown 
or  suit,  desires  to  see  it  on  some  one  else,  fondly  be- 
lieving that  she  herself  will  appear  as  attractive  in  it 
as  does  the  beautiful  model. 

Modeling  is  hard  work,  for  a  girl  is  constantly  on  her 
feet  and  constantly  changing  from  one  costume  to 
another.  In  some  houses  she  is  required  to  act  at  times 
as  saleswoman  in  addition  to  her  regular  work. 

Clothing  models  usually  receive  from  $25  to  $35 
a  week.  The  work  is  seasonal  however,  and  the  girl 


82       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

must  have  some  other  way  to  earn  her  living  between 
seasons. 

Photographic  modeling  offers  one  way  of  doing  this. 
Every  advertisement  we  see  in  street  cars,  newspapers, 
magazines,  on  bill  boards  etc.,  in  which  a  girl  or  woman 
is  pictured,  has  to  be  posed  for.  Posing  for  commercial 
photographers  is  not  hard  work  nor  is  it  especially  tire- 
some ;  and  if  a  girl  is  able  to  get  enough  of  this  to  do, 
it  pays  well.  She  can  pose  for  one  photographer  in 
the  morning  and  another  in  the  afternoon,  since  one 
appointment  or  engagement  seldom  lasts  more  than  an 
hour  or  two.  She  must  be  able  to  hold  a  pose  for  a 
minute,  and  she  must  take  a  good  photograph.  A  girl 
wishing  to  get  a  job  of  this  kind  should  take  some  photo- 
graphs of  herself  to  commercial  photographers  in  her 
city  whose  names  can  be  found  in  the  classified  tele- 
phone directory,  and  should  register  at  their  offices.  At 
first  she  may  have  few  calls  for  her  services,  but  let  her 
prove  that  she  does  photograph  well  and  is  adaptable, 
her  popularity  will  grow  and  she  will  be  kept  fairly 
busy.  The  usual  rate  of  payment  is  $3  for  the  first 
three  hours  and  $1.50  an  hour  thereafter.  Many  cloak 
and  suit  models  fill  in  their  off  seasons  with  work  of 
this  kind. 

Practically  all  artists,  moreover,  use  models,  some  of 
them  employing  one  girl  entirely  and  exclusively.  Of 
course  different  types  are  required  for  various  illustra- 
tions and  pictures,  and  a  girl  of  a  distinctive  type  is 
usually  in  demand. 


THE  MODEL  83 

Artist  modeling  is  very  tiresome  and  monotonous. 
Sometimes  a  model  is  required  to  hold  a  position  for 
fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  at  a  time  while  the  artist 
is  endeavoring  to  catch  a  certain  expression,  but  the 
usual  practice  is  ten  minutes'  posing  followed  by  a  five 
minutes'  rest  period.  There  is  nothing  sure  about  this 
work,  and  practically  no  chance  for  advancement. 

Alice  Joyce,  the  motion  picture  actress  who  was  once 
an  artist's  model,  was  approached  by  the  Kalem  Com- 
pany with  a  proposition  to  pose  for  them  because  they 
had  seen  her  picture  on  a  magazine  cover.  Of  course 
this  is  an  exceptional  case ;  and  Miss  Joyce  proved  that 
she  had  dramatic  ability  by  steadily  mounting  the  lad- 
der to  fame. 

Modeling  for  a  single  illustration  seldom  means  more 
than  one  or  two  days'  work  for  the  model,  whereas  il- 
lustrations for  a  book  may  require  from  three  days  to 
a  week  according  to  the  rapidity  of  the  artist. 

Models  used  to  be  paid  by  the  hour,  but  now  they  are 
paid  by  the  day,  usually  $4  to  $5,  regardless  of  whether 
they  work  twenty  minutes  or  the  whole  day. 

The  wholesale  hat  houses  and  fashionable  milliners 
employ  models ;  as  do  fur  houses.  These  models  receive 
about  the  same  compensation  as  do  cloak  and  suit 
models;  only  hat  modeling  is  not  as  tiresome  as  cloak 
and  suit  for  it  does  not  require  as  much  exertion  to 
change  a  hat  and  put  on  another  as  it  does  to  change 
a  dress  or  suit. 

All  the  fashion  shows  today  use  models  to  display 


84       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

their  particular  lines  of  apparel  to  the  interested  public. 
For  work  of  this  kind,  the  model  receives  $10  a  day 
for  exhibiting  shoes  and  hats,  with  $5  for  rehearsals, 
up  to  larger  salaries  according  to  the  character  of  the 
show,  where  it  is  held,  and  the  class  of  patronage 
admitted.  Fashion  show  modeling  is,  however,  inter- 
mittent work  and  not  to  be  counted  on  as  a  source  of 
steady  income. 

At  automobile  shows,  motor  boat  exhibits  and  hotel 
men's  association  shows,  models  are  often  engaged  by 
the  week  to  sit  in  the  automobiles,  or  motor  boats, 
merely  to  add  attraction  to  a  particular  exhibit.  In 
such  cases,  the  model's  costume  is  supplied  and  the  girl 
is  paid  according  to  her  beauty  and  her  ability  to  do 
the  little  required  of  her.  She  may  receive  from  $40 
to  $60,  but  definite  figures  cannot  be  stated  since  there 
is  great  variation  in  the  range  of  salaries  for  this  type 
of  work.  If  she  is  required  to  go  out  of  town,  all  her 
expenses  are  paid  in  addition  to  her  salary. 

For  the  girl  ambitious  to  make  a  definite  place  for 
herself  in  the  business  world,  modeling  with  its  un- 
certainties of  wage  and  work  and  associations  will 
hardly  be  satisfying.  If  however,  she  wishes  to  wear 
pretty  clothes  that  do  not  belong  to  her  and  take  her 
chances  haphazard  at  slack  seasons  and  rush  seasons, 
she  can  earn  fairly  good  wages  while  the  work  lasts. 


THE  DRESSMAKER  85 

THE  DRESSMAKER 

One  of  the  earliest  arts  is  that  of  the  dressmaker. 
Though  the  origin  of  dressmaking  goes  back  to  Eve 
fashioning  her  first  fig-leaf  garment,  it  has  curiously 
enough  left  the  home  while  its  sister  art  of  cooking  still 
lingers  there.  In  other  words  while  many  families  have 
their  clothes  made  outside  the  home,  the  majority  still 
do  their  own  cooking.  Dressmaking  is  done  principally 
in  shops  and  factories.  Instead  of  dresses  being  made 
one  at  a  time  they  are  today  made  frequently  by  the 
hundreds  and  thousands.  Designers  and  cutters  are 
paid  very  good  salaries,  several  hundred  dollars  a  month. 
Much  of  the  rest  of  the  work  is  done  by  machines. 

Besides  the  wholesale  production  of  clothes  there  are 
also  dressmakers'  shops  where  a  woman  designs,  fits  and 
supervises  the  building  of  each  and  every  gown. 

A  girl  who  is  qualified  to  be  a  dressmaker  often  shows 
her  interest  in  the  art  when  as  a  child  she  cuts  out  dolls' 
clothes  and  takes  a  decided  interest  in  garments.  Many 
girls  go  into  dressmaking  after  making  their  own 
clothes. 

A  girl  who  would  be  a  successful  dressmaker  must 
have  besides  an  instinct  for  color,  line  and  form,  the 
ability  to  execute  her  plans  and  turn  into  actual  reality 
the  beautiful  dresses  she  plans.  She  must  have  in- 
genuity and  the  ability  to  carry  out  not  only  her  own 
ideas  but  the  ideas  of  her  customers.  She  may  or  she 
may  not  do  the  actual  sewing.  The  more  creative  ability 


86       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

a  dressmaker  has,  the  more  profitable  she  will  find  it 
to  do  the  designing  and  to  have  some  one  else  to  do 
the  sewing.  If  a  girl  intends  to  have  her  own  shop 
some  day  she  cannot  understand  every  branch  of  the 
work  too  well,  or  have  too  pleasing  a  personality. 

She  herself  should  be  her  own  best  advertisement. 
Her  own  gowns  should  tell  the  story  of  her  art.  To 
all  this  she  should  add  the  knowledge  of  good  English, 
a  smattering  of  bookkeeping  and  social  conventions. 
All  this  sounds  perhaps  like  a  formidable  equipment  but 
the  clever  alert  girl  will  acquire  it,  if  she  has  the 
fundamentals  of  the  art  in  the  beginning,  and  if  she 
really  tries  to  learn. 

A  girl  may  either  go  to  a  trade  school  to  learn  dress- 
making or  she  may  start  as  an  errand  girl  in  a  dress- 
making establishment.  In  the  school  she  will  spend 
a  year  learning  the  trade.  When  she  graduates  she  will 
know  how  to  cut,  fit,  design,  drape  and  finish  a  garment. 
She  may  then  take  a  position  either  with  a  private 
dressmaker  or  in  a  shop.  Here  she  will  do  the  finishing 
of  seams,  sewing  on  of  buttons,  and  hooks  and  eyes. 
She  will  make  from  $8  to  $10  a  week.  If  she  shows 
great  ability  in  any  one  direction  she  will  probably 
be  asked  to  specialize.  Before  long  she  will  be  making 
$12  to  $20  weekly.  Great  ability  will  make  her  an 
expert  and  increase  her  pay  accordingly. 

The  girl  who  begins  as  errand  girl  in  a  shop  has  little 
chance  of  learning  the  trade  unless  she  stipulates,  on 
taking  the  job,  that  a  certain  number  of  hours  a  week 


THE  DRESSMAKER  87 

should  be  given  her  for  practice.  Her  wages  as  errand 
girl  will  be  from  $6  to  $9  a  week. 

An  errand  girl  may  find  it  possible  to  take  a  course 
in  dressmaking  at  a  night  school  and  so  get  her  tuition 
free.  This  is  the  best  course  for  a  girl  to  pursue  if  she 
must  earn  money  while  learning.  But  only  a  girl  of 
abounding  good  health  can  stand  the  strain  of  working 
all  day  and  in  the  evening  as  well,  and  a  girl  who  is 
not  exceptionally  strong  should  not  attempt  it. 

A  girl  who  plans  to  some  day  own  her  own  shop  may 
gather  a  good  trade  by  first  "  sewing  out "  for  a  few 
years.  A  good  dressmaker  makes  from  $2  to  $5  a 
day.  This  is  an  excellent  way  to  start.  A  girl  with 
ingenuity,  artistic  skill  and  a  pleasant  personality  may 
then  set  up  her  own  shop  with  a  clientele  already  as- 
sured. The  income  of  a  woman  who  owns  her  business 
may  vary  from  $1000  to  any  number  of  thousands  a 
year,  depending  not  only  on  her  ability  but  also  on 
circumstances  beyond  her  control. 

Dressmaking  is  a  wide  field  and  may  be  made 
very  much  or  very  little  of  an  art.  Some  women 
successfully  specialize  in  women's  blouses,  children's 
dresses,  etc.  This  specializing  would  of  course  prove 
more  profitable  in  a  big  city  than  in  a  town. 

The  general  dressmaker  may  set  up  her  little  shop 
in  the  smallest  town  in  the  country  and  be  sure  that 
the  daughters  of  Eve  will  give  her  abundant  work  to 
do — always  providing  that  there  are  not  already 
enough  efficient  well-known  dressmakers  there  before 


88       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

her.  As  there  is  always  something  new  to  be  learned 
in  dressmaking,  the  girl  who  keeps  apace  with  the 
styles  and  is  able  to  modify  them  to  suit  the  different 
types  of  figures  will  be  successful  whether  in  city  or 
country. 

Dressmaking  is  a  good  trade  for  the  girl  who  in- 
tends to  keep  on  working  after  marriage  and  who 
wants  to  be  at  home  to  look  after  the  babies  herself. 
!A  dressmaking  establishment  may  very  conveniently 
be  opened  in  one's  own  home;  customers  usually  like 
to  have  a  shop  in  the  residential  district  so  that  trips 
for  fitting  and  planning  dresses  will  not  consume  too 
much  time. 

As  long  as  the  world  is,  there  will  be  clothes  and 
dressmakers  to  make  clothes.  Fashions  will  continue 
to  change  and  women  will  follow  the  changing  fash- 
ions. The  clever  dressmaker  will  always  be  in 
demand;  once  she  has  made  a  name  for  herself  she 
can  command  her  own  price.  Decidedly  dressmaking 
is  an  art  worth  considering,  if  a  girl  has  a  taste  for 
sewing  and  designing. 

THE   MILLINER 

Probably  the  first  thing  Mother  Eve  did  after  fash- 
ioning her  fig-leaf  apron  and  observing  the  charming 
effect  in  a  nearby  water  mirror,  was  to  make  herself 
a  chaplett  of  flowers.  And  so  was  born  the  art  of  mil- 
linery. It  has  always  remained  closely  allied  with  the 
dressmaker's  art 


THE  MILLINER  89 

Two  sisters  who  run  a  fashionable  Fifth  Avenue  shop 
in  New  York  began  business  very  modestly  some  years 
ago.  One  sister  learned  dressmaking  and  the  other  mil- 
linery. After  a  few  years'  experience  each  in  a  good 
shop,  they  hired  a  room  and  combined  their  trades. 
Each  one  acts  as  a  "  feeder  "  of  customers  to  the  other. 
When  a  customer  has  been  much  pleased  with  a  hat 
made  by  one  sister,  she  naturally  wants  to  try  a  gown 
by  the  other,  and  vice  versa.  Now  after  years  of  ener- 
getic work,  the  sisters  have  a  fascinating  little  shop, 
with  soft  mellow  lights,  dove  colored  furnishings  and 
exquisite  appointments  of  every  kind,  where  very  high 
prices  can  be  charged.  Each  gown  and  hat  that  leaves 
the  establishment,  not  only  has  style  but  is  suited  to 
the  individuality  of  the  customer  who  ordered  it. 

While  millinery  used  to  be  almost  invariably  seasonal 
work,  shops  today  do  not  lay  off  their  hands  for  more 
than  a  month  or  six  weeks  in  midsummer.  The  chances 
for  a  girl's  earning  a  living  as  a  milliner  are  therefore 
better  than  they  used  to  be  as  far  as  that  is  concerned, 
but  it  must  be  pointed  out  that  there  are  other  draw- 
backs in  the  way  of  a  surplus  of  workers.  This  is  more 
or  less  true  of  so  many  trades  and  professions  and  so 
well  known  that  perhaps  it  need  not  be  dwelt  upon  here. 

The  girl  who  aims  to  be  a  milliner,  may  begin  as  an 
errand  girl  in  a  shop.  If  she  has  the  money,  however, 
she  would  better  go  for  a  year  or  two  to  a  millinery 
school.  Here  she  will  learn  to  make  frames,  cover  them 
with  different  materials,  and  finally  to  trim  them.  Such 


90       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

schooling  will  enable  her  when  she  enters  the  millinery 
shop,  to  go  to  work  at  once  on  hats  and  show  her  ability. 
She  will  be  given  beginner's  work  of  lining  and  cover- 
ing frames  and  will  receive  from  $8  to  $12  a  week. 
Later  if  she  does  really  good  work  she  will  be  advanced 
to  the  position  of  trimmer  at  a  salary  somewhat  higher. 
Large  shops  employ  special  girls  to  act  as  designers  of 
hats,  and  these  receive  from  $25  to  $50  a  week. 

The  department  stores  in  big  cities  employ  milliners. 
Here  as  well  as  in  the  small  shops  and  private  establish- 
ments, there  is  usually  one  woman,  an  experienced 
milliner,  who  directs  the  work  and  has  complete  charge 
over  and  is  responsible  for  the  workroom.  She  may  do 
no  actual  handling  of  materials  herself  but  her  services 
as  critic  and  executive  are  valuable  enough  for  her  to 
be  paid  from  $25  to  $40  a  week. 

The  milliner's  work  is  one  that  is  not  limited  to  any 
one  place  or  country.  If  you  learn  the  art  well,  you  may 
set  up  a  shop  in  'New  York,  London,  Hong  Kong  or 
Smith's  Corners.  Hats  are  wanted  everywhere  and 
worn  everywhere. 

A  pathetic  incident  in  a  recent  hearing  of  the  In- 
dustrial Relations  Commission  among  the  farmer  folk 
of  the  great  southwest,  was  that  of  a  tenant  farmer's 
wife  who  took  the  witness  stand.  She  had  had  many 
children.  She  worked  from  four  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing till  bedtime,  most  of  the  time  when  not  in  the  house, 
with  her  husband  in  the  field.  She  had  never  had  any 
dresses  except  those  which  she  made  for  herself  which 


THE  MILLINER  91 

later  were  cut  down  to  fit  her  daughters,  and  in  addition 
she  also  made  her  husband's  clothes.  All  her  life  she 
had  wanted  a  hat,  a  store  hat,  and  to  that  end  she  had 
saved  for  years  till  finally  she  had  two  dollars.  She 
made  a  wonderful  trip  to  a  nearby  city  and  there  bought 
"  a  real  hat."  Nothing  then  mattered  in  her  life.  She 
had  her  heart's  desire. 

To  the  girl  of  today  who  lives  in  a  city  where  hats 
are  bought,  worn  for  a  few  weeks  and  then  discarded 
this  will  seem  almost  impossible  but  it  serves  to  illustrate 
the  fact  that  as  long  as  women  live,  milliners  will  be 
busy. 

This  is  more  true  today  than  ever  before.  Velvet 
hats  appear  in  August,  felt  in  October,  fur  in  Novem- 
ber, satins  in  December,  straw  in  January,  some  new 
combination  in  February,  and  March ;  georgette  and  net 
in  April  and  something  else  in  June.  The  millinery 
business  is  thriving  today  as  never  before  and  the  be- 
tween seasons  when  a  girl  used  to  be  out  of  work  are 
fast  disappearing. 

Thus  the  girl  who  enters  this  attractive  line  is  less 
apt  to  be  out  of  work  than  she  was  a  few  years  ago 
when  there  were  merely  two  seasons  for  hats — winter 
and  summer.  This  is  most  encouraging  and  the  girl  who 
started  by  making  hats  for  dolls  and  whose  ambition  is 
to  be  "  a  real  milliner  "  will  find  that  this  is  an  art 
worth  pursuing. 


92       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

THE    HAIRDRESSER 

Hairdressing  is  an  art  which  is  practised  profes- 
sionally in  all  big  towns  and  cities.  It'  includes,  besides 
the  final  arrangement  of  the  hair,  shampooing,  singe- 
ing, electric  treatment  and  scalp  massage.  It  is  often 
made  a  separate  department  in  a  general  "  beauty " 
shop  when  facial  massage  and  manicuring  are  allied 
with  it 

A  girl  needs  to  have  special  adaptability  for  render- 
ing personal  services  to  others  in  order  to  be  a  hair- 
dresser. This  at  its  best  has  no  element  of  servility  in 
it  Then  there  must  be  also  deftness  in  the  use  of  the 
hands.  An  appreciation  and  understanding  for  the 
beauty  and  contour  of  the  human  face  and  how  it  may 
best  be  framed  in  a  coiffure  is  also  necessary.  There 
are,  it  is  true,  many  hairdressers  who  "  do  "  each  cus- 
tomer's hair  in  a  prevailing  fashion  and  believe  they 
have  done  the  best  that  could  be  desired,  but  that  is 
failing  to  appreciate  hairdressing  as  an  art,  which  im- 
plies that  a  style  must  be  specially  adapted  to  a  person. 

A  girl  must  have  very  robust  health  in  order  to  stand 
the  strain  of  being  on  her  feet  for  long  hours,  and  of 
bending,  as  is  necessary  when  shampooing  a  customer's 
hair.  A  girl  with  even  a  slight  tendency  to  physical 
weakness  would  better  choose  some  other  line  of  work, 
as  for  instance  manicuring. 

There  are  two  ways  in  which  a  girl  may  learn  to  be 
a  hairdresser.  One  is  in  a  private  "  beauty  "  parlor 


THE  HAIRDRESSER  &3 

or  with  a  successful  hairdresser,  and  the  other  is  in  a 
so-called  school.  The  latter  is,  however,  not  yet  suffi- 
ciently good,  with  the  result  that  after  graduation  a  girl 
finds  a  few  private  lessons  necessary  before  she  can 
secure  a  position. 

The  best  way  to  learn  hairdressing  is  to  go  at  first 
into  a  good  hairdressing  shop,  where  one  may  have  to 
pay  about  the  same  as  in  a  school  for  the  privilege  of 
learning  the  art  but  which  will  prove  cheaper  in  the  end. 
Ofttimes  the  establishment  where  she  studies  would 
rather  employ  their  pupils  than  those  who  have  studied 
elsewhere,  and  in  this  case  a  girl  is  often  engaged  in 
the  very  shop  where  she  has  been  trained. 

After  a  girl  finds  herself  proficient,  she  may  get  a 
position  as  assistant  or  open  a  shop  of  her  own.  She 
will  need  much  executive  ability  and  at  least  a  little 
business  experience  to  do  this,  unless  she  can  afford  to 
make  perhaps  no  money  at  all  for  a  few  months. 

Many  girls  go  from  house  to  house  catering  to  their 
customers  till  they  have  built  up  a  clientele  and  can 
afford  a  shop.  In  this  way  a  girl  is  sure  of  trade  when 
finally  she  opens  a  shop  of  her  own.  Its  success  will 
depend  greatly  on  its  attractiveness  and  her  own  per- 
sonality and  appearance.  People  object  to  patronizing 
an  untidy  store  with  a  disagreeable  owner. 

As  assistant  in  a  hairdresser's  shop  a  girl  may  receive 
$10  and  up,  not  including  gratuities.  Owning  her  own 
shop  she  may  possibly  make  $25  or  sometimes  a 
great  deal  more  weekly  but  not  unless  she  is  one  of 


94       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

the   unusually   successful   ones   upon   whom   Fortune 
smiles. 

The  hairdresser's  art  was  well  known  and  practised 
freely  among  the  ancient  Greeks  and  Romans,  when  all 
bodily  beauty  was  thought  much  of.  It  is  safe  to  say 
that  woman  will  never  tire  of  preserving  and  adding  to 
her  beauty  and  that  among  the  means  she  will  employ 
will  always  be  the  art  of  the  hairdresser.  So  a  girl 
who  is  really  skilful  need  never  fear  of  starving. 


THE  MANICUBIST 

The  manicurist,  one  who  cares  for  customers'  hands, 
— cleaning,  filing  and  polishing  the  nails  and  shaping 
the  area  of  nail  framed  by  the  surrounding  cuticle  or 
skin, — has  work  that  rivals  even  that  of  the  hairdresser 
in  its  necessity  for  intimate  personal  contact.  It  re- 
quires the  same  ability  for  giving  personal  service,  only 
if  anything,  in  a  greater  degree.  It  requires  absolute 
neatness  and  fastidious  daintiness  of  one's  own  person. 
A  girl  need  have  but  little  education  if  she  has  the  above 
requirements,  to  find  manicuring  a  very  good  way  of 
earning  her  living.  It  does  not  require  great  physical 
strength,  and  a  delicate  girl  who  can  not  stand  in  either 
factory  or  store,  will  be  able  to  take  good  care  of  her 
health  while  doing  manicuring. 

She  must  have,  however,  excellent  control  of  herself 
and  an  ability  to  ignore  and  throw  off  bad  influences 
which  a  manicurist  may  meet  in  her  work.  She  must 


THE  MANICURIST  95 

know  how  to  take  as  good  care  of  her  reputation  and 
character  as  of  her  health. 

Her  customers  will  be  from  all  classes  of  men  and 
women.  For  half  an  hour  or  more  she  will  be  so  near 
each  client  that  conversation  will  naturally  follow.  The 
manicurist  will  often  learn  much  that  is  useful  and 
interesting.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  conversation 
of  her  client  is  bad,  she  must  keep  a  steady  head  on 
her  young  shoulders.  She  has  two  things  to  remember 
that  will  sometimes  make  a  decision  hard  for  her.  One 
is  that  she  must  not  let  herself  be  in  any  way  con- 
taminated by  anything  bad  her  customer  says.  The  other 
is  that  unless  she  is  smiling  and  agreeable  she  may  lose 
a  customer,  and  if  her  table  is  not  well  patronized,  she 
is  likely  to  lose  her  job.  It  requires  tact  and  courage 
to  manage  such  situations. 

A  course  in  a  manicuring  school  takes  about  three 
weeks.  A  complete  "  beauty  "  course,  covering  hair- 
dressing,  shampooing,  singeing,  manicuring,  facial  mas- 
sage and  scalp  treatment,  takes  about  three  months  and 
costs  $50.  There  is  some  disagreement  among  good 
manicurists  as  to  whether  schools  are  better  places  for 
training  than  the  shops  themselves.  At  any  rate,  prac- 
tice only  can  make  one  a  good  manicurist  and  wherever 
a  girl  studies,  she  will  find  her  proficiency  is  measured 
by  the  extent  of  her  practical  work. 

A  girl  must  be  exceedingly  careful  in  looking  for  a 
job  after  she  is  qualified  to  do  manicuring.  Many  ques- 
tionable resorts  masquerade  as  manicuring,  hairdressing 


96       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

or  massage  parlors  where  enough  work  of  that  kind  is 
done  sometimes  to  further  the  deception  as  to  their 
real  purposes. 

The  choice  of  position  is  comparatively  wide,  for 
hotels,  department  stores  and  even  the  office  buildings 
today  have  manicure  parlors.  A  girl  would  need  an 
unusually  wide  circle  of  acquaintances  to  go  into  busi- 
ness for  herself  without  first  taking  a  position  as  assis- 
tant in  some  such  places  as  those  mentioned. 

The  place  of  employment  will  in  great  measure  de- 
termine a  girl's  pay  as  manicurist,  but  it  will  be  some- 
where around  $8  to  $15.  Tips  will  materially  increase 
this  amount,  and  the  gracious  girl  will  be  especially 
favored  in  this  way.  Some  girls  earn  as  high  as  $30 
a  week.  A  girl's  personality  and  ability  to  work  well 
will  determine  what  she  will  make  when  she  begins  to 
do  independent  work. 

The  girl  in  the  small  town  may  find  manicuring  a 
possible  opening  into  the  world  of  work.  Customers 
may  be  obtained  wherever  there  is  money  spent  for  any 
kind  of  luxury. 

THE  THEATER  TREASURER 

The  treasurer  of  the  theater  is  the  man  or  woman  who 
handles  the  money.  Within  the  last  few  years  women 
have  become  treasurers  of  motion  picture  and  the  small- 
town vaudeville  houses,  and  since  the  war  they  have 
become  assistant  treasurers  and  in  some  cases  treasurers 
of  the  larger  legitimate  houses. 


THE  THEATER  TREASURER  97 

The  treasurer  of  the  theater  sells  the  tickets  in  the 
box  office,  and  therefore  in  addition  to  being  an  accurate 
cashier,  he  must  know  his  theater,  the  location  of  seats, 
and  how  many  tickets,  on  an  average,  are  sold  ahead  for 
the  various  performances.  Each  night  his  total  must 
total  with  the  manager's  tally  of  sold  seats,  ^according 
to  the  tickets  received  at  the  door  and  later  counted  by 
the  manager). 

The  treasurer  together  with  the  manager  makes  up 
the  theater  and  the  company  payrolls,  and  is  generally 
responsible  for  all  monies  received  and  paid  out  in  the 
theater.  Therefore  his  job  is  a  very  responsible  one. 
The  treasurer  is  usually  under  bond,  which  means 
that  a  surety  company  has  vouched  for  his  honesty  and 
will  make  good  any  amount  of  money  that  is  found 
to  be  missing.  In  other  words,  the  bonding  company 
insures  the  theater  against  loss.  Some  theaters  pay  the 
cost  of  this;  sometimes  the  treasurer  is  compelled  to 
pay  it  herself. 

In  the  smaller  houses  and  the  legitimate  theaters 
where  there  is  not  a  great  rush,  women  have  proven 
themselves  very  capable ;  but  at  some  vaudeville  houses 
where  there  is  apt  to  be  a  big  crowd  morning  and 
night  they  have  "  lost  their  heads  "  and  have  not  been 
as  successful  as  men.  The  question  of  making  change 
is  a  simple  one  today  for  most  theaters  now  have 
machines  of  recent  invention  which  make  change. 

As  the  box  offices  for  theaters  open  at  nine  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  there  is  always  a  treasurer  and  an 


98       MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

assistant  Some  houses  even  have  three  people  in  their 
box  office;  and  when  there  are  three  they  work  a  long 
and  a  short  day,  working  one  day  from  nine  till  twelve, 
being  free  till  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  and  then  re- 
turning to  work  till  the  box  office  closes  around  ten.  The 
next  day  that  person  only  works  from  twelve  till  six 
and  has  the  third  day  off. 

All  treasurers  or  assistants  have  one  day  a  week  free; 
but  in  vaudeville  houses  that  day  is  not  always  Sunday 
nor  is  it  the  same  day  every  week.  In  legitimate  houses 
it  is  usually  arranged  so  that  the  person  who  works  days 
one  week  is  on  at  night  the  next  and  thus  they  alternate. 

Treasurers  receive  from  $20  a  week  when  they  start 
as  assistants,  to  about  $60  which  perhaps  is  the  average 
in  high-class  vaudeville  and  legitimate  theaters.  Of 
course  it  is  not  as  large  in  motion  picture  and  "  small- 
time "  houses  though  the  salaries  are  fair  all  over.  A 
really  good  treasurer  of  a  big  house  may  receive  $100 
a  week  but  that  is  exceptional. 

THE  USHER 

Another  field  in  which  women  are  fast  supplanting 
men  is  that  of  usher  in  a  theater.  Of  course  the  posi- 
tion is  not  a  very  good  one,  but  for  the  girl  who  has 
to  be  home  during  the  day  and  who  desires  to  earn  a 
little  money  and  does  not  mind  working  for  a  few  hours 
at  night  this  may  appeal  greatly. 

Ushers  arrive  at  the  theater  an  hour  before  tEe  per- 
formance begins.  It  is  simple  to  learn  the  position  of 


THE  USHER  .  99 

the  seats  and  any  girl  can  become  an  adept  very  quickly. 
Ushers  can  leave  the  theater  after  the  last  intermission, 
and  it  is  usually  arranged  among  the  girls  as  to  who 
goes  and  who  remains  till  the  end  of  the  performance. 
Of  course  they  have  to  he  on  hand  for  matinees. 

Ushers  receive  ahout  $8  or  $9  a  week,  plus  whatever 
gratuities  they  may  receive.  Uniforms  are  furnished 
by  the  theater. 

In  the  vaudeville  houses  where  the  performance  is 
continuous  or  where  there  are  daily  matinees,  the  girls 
are  given  one  day  a  week  off,  and  their  hours  are 
arranged  on  other  days  to  accord  with  the  law.  Salaries 
in  vaudeville  houses  are  slightly  higher  than  in  legit- 
imate theaters  but  the  girls  have  more  work  to  do. 

For  a  girl  who  desires  to  earn  extra  money,  or  who 
is  unable  to  work  during  the  day  owing  to  home  condi- 
tions the  position  of  usher  gives  her  a  little  money  and 
the  job  is  certainly  an  easy  one.  However  it  is  not  the 
sort  of  position  that  a  girl  of  ambition  would  accept 
or  desire  to  have. 

THE  DETECTIVE 

Perhaps  there  isn't  any  occupation  that  is  less  ap- 
preciated as  a  field  for  women  than  that  of  detective. 
Yet  there  are  few  where  women  are  more  essential  to 
the  success  of  an  undertaking,  or  where  her  work  is  more 
thoroughly  valued  by  those  with  whom  she  works. 

There  are  two  distinct  classes  of  detectives:  first, 
the  high-class  detective  whose  aim  is  to  protect  the  com- 


100     MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

munity,  and  who  ranks  with  the  highest  grade  in  any 
profession;  second,  the  low  unprincipled  detective 
who  stoops  to  any  and  every  method,  even  blackmail, 
and  whose  specialty  is  divorce  cases.  The  first  class 
is  the  one  in  which  women  are  respected  and  prized, 
and  it  is  with  this  group  alone  that  we  shall  deal.  A 
girl  must  discriminate  and  keep  clear  of  the  second 


To  be  a  successful  detective  a  girl  must  have  an 
analytical  mind,  and  the  ability  to  see  all  sides  of  a 
question,  and  to  decide  quickly  and  accurately.  She 
must  be,  too,  an  unending  source  of  resourcefulness  and 
initiative.  She  must  be  fair  in  all  things  and  trust- 
worthy. When  caught  in  a  tight  place  she  must  keep 
a  level  head  to  avoid  being  regarded  with  suspicion. 
Once  a  detective  shows  the  least  sign  of  nervousness 
she  will  be  discovered  and  then,  for  a  time  at  least,  her 
usefulness  will  be  gone.  All  these  qualifications  are 
apt  to  strike  terror  to  the  heart  of  an  aspiring  detective 
but  when  they  are  all  collected  and  viewed  together,  the 
lump  sum  means  just  plain  "  commonsense." 

Women  many  times  make  better  detectives  than  men. 
This  is  because  the  ability  to  note  detail  and  to  study 
minute  personal  factors  seems  to  be  especially  developed 
in  women. 

The  one  and  only  way  to  train  for  this  work  is  in  a 
detective's  office.  A  college  graduate  or  even  a  high 
school  graduate  who  feels  the  lure  of  the  field  of  detec- 
tion, should  write  to  a  reputable  detective  bureau  or 


THE  DETECTIVE     : ;  •  ; 

through  a  male  friend  or  relative  have  an  interview 
with  a  well-known  detective.  As  the  big  detective 
agencies  are  always  on  the  watch  for  bright  intelligent 
girls,  they  are  the  best  places  to  look  for  a  job.  De- 
tective agencies  have  to  be  careful  whom  they  employ; 
but  as  the  need  for  women  in  the  service  is  constantly 
growing,  more  and  more  positions  are  opened  all  the 
time. 

There  are  many  different  branches  of  detective  work 
open  to  the  girl  while  she  is  employed  in  a  detective 
agency.  She  may  do  everything  from  "  shadowing  "  to 
directing  a  "case."  She  will  have  to  be  very  clever 
to  get  a  chance  at  the  latter. 

Then  there  are  positions  in  department  stores  and 
jewelry  shops.  Every  big  store  in  every  city  employs 
one  or  more  detectives  to  guard  them  against  "  shoplift- 
ers "  or  "  sneak  thieves."  Department  stores  lose  thou- 
sands of  dollars  in  merchandise  annually  to  the  women 
and  men  who  make  their  living  by  stealing  from  them. 

Store  detectives  work  from  ten  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing till  four  or  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  (during 
the  busiest  hours)  and  receive  from  $3  a  day  up,  av- 
eraging about  $20  to  $25  a  week.  In  some  cities  of  the 
United  States  the  department  store  detectives  go  from 
store  to  store.  In  this  case  they  are  employed  by  an 
agency  which  has  contracted  to  protect  the  stores.  The 
store  detective's  work  is  invaluable,  saving  the  company 
many  dollars  in  the  course  of  a  year. 

The  hotel  detective  is  another  valuable  aid  to  society 


102     MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

Some  hotels  employ  one  or  more  house  detectives,  while 
in  many  cases  one  detective  has  charge  of  two  or  three 
smaller  hotels  or  restaurants. 

There  are  hundreds  of  ways  thieves  can  work  in  the 
hotels,  especially  in  lavatories  where  women  remove 
their  rings  to  wash  their  hands.  In  dining  rooms,  a 
purse,  fur  scarf  or  some  other  valuable  article  is  dropped 
and  would  never  be  recovered  but  for  the  resourceful, 
keen-eyed  detective.  The  salary  of  a  woman  doing  this 
type  of  work  ranges  from  $3  to  $10  a  day,  but  her 
hours  are  very  much  longer  than  those  of  the  depart- 
ment store  detective.  During  the  rush  hours  of  luncheon, 
dinner  and  after-the-theater  supper  parties  the  detective 
must  be  about,  ever  watchful  and  ever  unobtrusive. 
The  secret  of  successful  department  store  and  hotel 
work  is  "  to  see  but  not  to  be  seen." 

Women  have  reached  the  highest  degree  of  success  in 
the  Diplomatic  Service  of  the  United  States  where 
their  services  are  invaluable.  Positions  are  secured 
through  the  Secretary  of  State  and  a  woman  must  have 
displayed  her  ability  before  a  postion  in  the  Diplomatic 
Service  can  be  secured. 

Unfortunately  the  Secret  Service  of  the  United  States 
does  not  provide  regular  positions  for  women.  Posi- 
tions are  secured  in  the  Secret  Service  through  examina- 
tions which  women  are  not  permitted  to  enter.  They 
are,  however,  used  as  "  informants  "  but  are  not  actual 
members  of  the  service.  The  time  is  coming,  though, 
we  believe,  when  provision  will  be  made  for  women. 


THE  COMMERCIAL  TRAVELER         103 

Detective  work  is  improving  all  the  time  as  an  oc- 
cupation for  women.  In  it  women  are  given  an  equal 
chance  with  men.  In  many  cases  a  woman  can  be 
sent  on  a  case  where  a  man  could  not  be  used  without 
arousing  suspicion. 

The  greatest  drawback  to  detective  work  is  the  ir- 
Iregularity  of  the  hours  of  work.  Hotel  and  store 
detectives  are  virtually  the  only  ones  who  have  stated- 
hour  schedules. 

The  dream  of  the  great  detectives  of  the  world  today 
is  that  the  time  will  come  when  a  detective  will  not  be 
so  often  employed  to  track  a  criminal  after  a  crime 
has  been  committed,  but  to  prevent  the  crime  from 
being  perpetrated. 

Decidedly  detective  work  is  a  splendid  field  for  an 
ambitious,  courageous,  level-headed  young  woman,  and 
one  which  is  interesting,  sometimes  exciting,  besides 
being  very  lucrative. 

THE  COMMERCIAL  TRAVELER 

A  saleswoman  or  drummer  is  one  who  is  employed 
by  a  manufacturing  house  to  sell  its  goods  to  retail 
stores.  At  present,  there  seein  to  be  comparatively 
few  women  engaged  in  this  work.  Until  very  recently, 
it  was  thought  that  the  incessant  traveling  necessary  in 
this  kind  of  work,  was  too  wearing  for  a  woman. 
Furthermore  her  capability  for  selling  merchandise 
was  doubted. 

The  strain,  however,  is  not  so  great  as  that  of  the 


104     MISCELLANEOUS  OPPORTUNITIES 

actress  while  "on  the  road."  There  seems  to  be  no 
reason  why  a  level-headed  young  woman  with  a  keen 
mind  and  the  ability  to  express  fluently  and  convinc- 
ingly her  own  faith  in  the  excellence  of  the  goods  she 
desires  to  sell,  should  not  be  a  successful  "  drummer  " 
or  commercial  traveler. 

A  confident  and  easy  bearing,  pleasant  manners  and 
the  ability  to  meet  people  on  their  own  ground,  are 
essential  to  success.  To  many  people  the  work  is  in- 
tensely interesting,  and  as  soon  as  the  salesman  has 
become  expert  in  her  line  of  merchandise,  it  is  a  com- 
paratively easy  life. 

The  out-of-town  salesman  has  an  opportunity  to  see 
the  country  and  even  the  salesman  who  is  employed  in 
the  city,  and  its  immediate  vicinity,  has  the  opportunity 
of  meeting  a  great  many  people. 

Most  drummers  work  on  a  commission,  many  on 
salary  and  commission,  and  all  have  a  weekly  drawing 
account  to  cover  expenses.  Some  houses  who  can  not 
afford  the  full-time  services  of  a  drummer  in  the  smaller 
towns  allow  the  sales  agent  covering  such  territory  to 
carry  several  lines  of  goods  for  different  firms. 

The  field  of  salesmanship  is  crowded  with  young 
people  who  are  working  their  way  through  various 
professional  schools,  and  with  older  persons  who  are 
out  of  jobs  in  their  regular  lines  of  work.  These  posi- 
tions must  not  be  confused  with  those  of  experts  in 
permanent  lines.  Except  for  persons  unusually  gifted, 
by  nature,  salesmanship  is  a  very  uncertain  occupation. 


THE  COMMERCIAL  TRAVELER         105 

The  work  of  the  commercial  traveler  is  well  illus- 
trated in  the  stories  of  the  well-known  author,  Edna 
Ferber.  She  has  turned  out  the  most  readable  fiction 
on  what  work  as  a  drummer  may  mean  to  a  woman  in 
the  way  of  joy  and  sorrow,  trouble  and  pleasure.  How 
one  woman  managed  to  maintain  a  womanly  and 
dignified  bearing,  and  at  the  same  time  a  bright  and 
engaging  cordiality  of  manner;  how  she  managed  to 
keep  in  good  health  under  conditions  so  trying  that 
many  men  fail  to  do  so;  how  she  managed  not  only 
to  earn  a  good  living  for  herself,  but  also  for  her  son 
whom  she  sent  to  college — any  girl  who  is  thinking  of 
becoming  a  drummer  should  read. 

But  when  she  reads  these  delightful  stories,  the  girl 
who  wishes  to  become  a  commercial  traveler  should  not 
say  to  herself,  "I'd  like  to  do  just  what  Emma  Mc- 
Chesney  did,"  and  thereby  adopt  her  vocation  on  the 
spot  But  instead  she  should  ask  herself,  "  Have  I 
the  qualities  this  woman  had  for  success?  Could  I 
adapt  myself  as  she  did?  Could  I  be  another  Emma 
McChesney?" 

And  if  she  thinks  she  could,  if  she  thinks  that  the 
pleasure  and  salary  in  such  work  will  repay  her  for  the 
trouble,  loss  of  home  ties  and  the  constant  wandering, 
then  she  will  be  a  wise  girl  if  she  decides  she  will  enter 
this  field.  But  if  she  thinks  she  is  not  fitted  for  the 
work  she  should  stay  closer  to  home  and  the  job  she 
can  fill  well. 


THE  PKOFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

THE  girl  who  is  in  a  position  to  get  more  than  an 
elementary  school  education  will  have  broader  and 
more  numerous  opportunities  to  choose  interesting  and 
better  paying  lifework.  Professional  training  gen- 
erally involves  technical  training  or  highly  specialized 
training  following  a  high  school  education.  With  ability 
along  special  lines,  .the  will  to  succeed  and  perseverance 
to  pursue  the  necessary  studies,  the  girl  who  embarks 
on  professional  training  will  find  none  of  the  professions 
closed  to  her. 

THE   HOME   MAKER 

"  Woman's  place  is  in  the  home."  The  phrase  has 
become  a  platitude,  at  the  mention  of  which  most  of 
us  either  smile  patronizingly  or  hoot  with  derision. 
But  to  do  either,  is  a  mistake,  for  to  be  a  true  home 
maker,  in  the  full  sense  of  the  word,  is  a  vocation  of 
which  to  be  proud.  Yet  in  spite  of  this  fact,  hundreds 
of  girls  go  out  to  work  in  factories,  paying,  out  of  their 
meager  wages,  for  food,  clothing  and  shelter,  when  they 
might  be  living  in  clean,  attractive  homes  and  earning 
the  same  salaries. 

THere  must  be  a  reason  for  this  phenomenon,  and 
probably  it  is  this:  Until  a  few  years  ago,  domestic 

106 


THE  HOME  MAKER  107 

service  was  considered  degrading  by  some  people.  It 
was  more  or  less  a  disgrace  to  be  a  "  servant/'  Factory 
work  smacked  more  of  the  professional,  so  to  speak. 
But,  today,  the  world  is  slowly  beginning  to  realize  that 
unless  a  house  is  smoothly  and  systematically  run,  it 
can  not  be  a  home.  A  maid  is  no  longer  treated  every- 
where as  a  menial.  Her  room,  which  used  to  be  the 
storehouse  of  discarded  furniture,  is  today  often  an  at- 
tractively furnished  little  den.  Women  are  beginning 
to  realize  that  their  maids  are  human  beings,  and  the 
sooner  more  women  realize  this  the  better  it  will  be 
for  all  concerned. 

Domestic  service  is  practically  the  only  occupation 
in  which  a  beginner  may  earn  more  than  her  living 
expenses.  In  addition  to  the  $30  or  $35  she  receives 
per  month,  her  board  and  lodging  are  absolutely  free. 
Moreover,  a  year's  experience  with  a  capable  house- 
keeper is  better  training  than  three  years  in  a  domestic 
science  school.  True,  the  hours  of  work  are  long;  but 
the  duties  are  varied,  and  a  girl  generally  knows  just 
•how  much  time  she  will  have  off,  and  just  when  she 
will  have  it.  Then,  too,  both  the  moral  and  physical 
conditions  are  often  better  than  in  factories  or  in  shops. 

One  who  begins  as  a  second  girl,  for  example,  can 
quickly  advance  into  the  position  of  general  house- 
worker,  if  she  is  apt.  If  she  is  particularly  fond  of 
cooking,  and  willing  to  study  in  her  spare  time  at  some 
practical  school  of  domestic  science,  there  is  no  reason 
why  she  should  not  soon  obtain  a  position  as  cook. 


108          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

Cooks  receive  anywhere  from  $35  to  $45  per  month 
for  work  in  families  and  $50  in  institutions. 

In  large  establishments  where  there  is  a  division  of 
labor,  the  servants  work  under  a  general  housekeeper 
who  takes  the  place  of  the  mistress.  This  housekeeper 
directs  the  work,  plans  the  meals,  does  the  marketing, 
and  does  what  she  can  to  make  the  house  a  home.  For 
this,  in  addition  to  her  maintenance,  she  receives  from 
$60  to  $100  a  month. 

As  has  been  said,  the  hours  of  domestic  service  are 
long;  yet  there  is  usually  a  little  time  for  resting  be- 
tween tasks.  It  is  true,  too,  that  many  mistresses  try 
to  work  their  servants  as  hard  as  they  can  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  there  are  women  who  treat  maids  with  all 
kindness  and  consideration,  a  class  of  women  which  is 
constantly  growing  in  numbers. 

Of  course,  as  in  every  other  occupation,  advancement 
depends  upon  the  girl  herself.  Women  like  to  see 
bright,  cheerful  faces  around  the  house,  and  the  girl 
who  is  sullen,  obeys  orders  reluctantly,  and  sulks  when 
she  is  reprimanded  will  find  her  advancement  slow,  if 
not  impossible. 

The  field  is  wide  and  varied.  The  domestic  service 
of  women  is  required  by  all  hotels  and  restaurants,  and 
by  many  other  institutions,  both  public  and  private. 
Hotels,  for  example,  need  women  as  waitresses,  chamber- 
maids, cooks  and  for  a  hundred  odd  jobs.  In  charge  of 
each  battalion  of  workers  is  a  woman  who  has  risen 
from  the  ranks,  in  most  cases,  one  who  has  shown  she 


THE  HOME  MAKER  109 

has  executive  ability,  tact  and  resourcefulness.  These 
women  command  large  salaries,  and  find  the  work  in- 
teresting and  not  over-taxing. 

There  is  no  reason  why  a  bright,  intelligent  girl 
starting  in  the  field  of  domestic  service,  should  not 
attain  a  high  position  with  a  large  salary.  In  all  in- 
stitutions and  homes,  the  matrons  are  women  who  under- 
stand housekeeping  thoroughly.  Until  a  few  years 
ago,  we  regret  to  say,  institutions  were  merely  places  in 
which  to  exist,  not  homes,  to  their  inmates.  Since  the 
state  has  begun  to  realize,  however,  that  home  life  is 
the  only  real  balm  to  the  criminal  or  to  the  orphan, 
institutions  are  being  made  more  homelike,  and  the 
matrons  aim  to  take  the  place  of  mother  to  the  inmates. 
It  is  in  such  a  field  that  a  girl  who  has  had  several 
years  of  successful  domestic  service  in  a  private  family, 
hotel  or  restaurant,  can  often  successfully  compete,  with 
a  graduate  of  a  domestic  science  school.  Each  assistant 
to  a  matron  in  an  institution  has  a  position  not  to  be 
scorned. 

Girls  who  love  to  "  fuss "  around  mother's  house, 
should  not  spurn  domestic  service  as  degrading,  and 
turn  to  nerve-racking,  health-destroying  factory  work. 
It  is  the  highest  calling  of  woman, — this  transforming 
of  a  mere  house  into  a  true  home. 

Every  girl,  no  matter  what  her  station  in  life,  hopes 
in  her  heart,  some  day  to  have  a  home  of  her  own.  To 
do  so,  it  is  not  absolutely  necessary  that  she  work  in 
it.  But  if  she  expects  to  do  so,  what  better  way  is  there 


110          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

to  train  for  it  than  by  working  in  another  home  first? 
When  John  Howard  Payne,  who  left  his  home  and 
traveled  the  world  over,  living  in  every  big  city,  sapping 
the  youthful  health  and  strength  from  his  body,  dis- 
covered that  he  could  find  happiness  nowhere,  he  wrote 
that  famous  song,  "  Home,  Sweet  Home." 

"  Be  it  ever  so  humble, 
There's  no  place  like  home." 

To  make  such  a  fine  sweet  place  requires  all  the 
best  abilities  of  the  human  heart,  mind  and  body. 
This  the  world  is  beginning  to  realize,  and  perhaps  be- 
side finding  home  a  place  to  live  in  and  to  love,  girls 
may  find  it  also  a  place  for  skilful  and  satisfying  work. 
They  will  find  that  housework  and  homemaking  are 
today  better  paid  and  better  systematized  than  they 
used  to  be  and  that  trained  workers  are  never  out  of  a 
job. 


THE  DIETITIAN 

How  many  girls  like  to  cook  ?  Many  more,  perhaps, 
than  care  to  admit  it.  But  this  is  because  most  people 
have  always  thought  of  cooks  as  ignorant,  poorly  paid 
women  or  else  overworked  mothers  and  housekeepers 
trying  vainly  to  do  justice  to  many  devious  kinds  of 
work.  But  that  idea  is  gradually  dying,  and  scientific 
cooks,  or  dietitians  as  they  are  technically  called,  are 


THE  DIETITIAN  111] 

taking  the  place  of  the  all-too-of  ten  slovenly  cook  of  other 
days. 

Some  few  years  ago  the  practicability  of  adding  a 
cooking  course  to  the  curriculum  of  the  public  schools 
was  recognized.  A  girl  may  now  study  the  pri- 
mary laws  of  the  culinary  art  in  the  grammar  schools 
of  almost  every  city  in  the  Union.  If  it  interests  her 
she  may  continue  it  through  the  high  schools,  and  if 
she  is  able,  through  her  college  course  where  she  will 
receive  training  as  a  dietitian. 

The  course  is  called  the  Home  Economics  Course  and 
requires  the  same  length  of  time  as  any  college  course. 
Chemistry,  food  values,  scientific  management,  relation 
of  diet  and  disease,  and  the  preparation  of  food  are 
among  the  subjects  studied.  Special  diets  for  the  sick 
are  studied  and  planned.  A  girl  graduating  from  one 
of  these  courses  is  well  equipped  to  earn  her  own  living. 

Upon  graduation  three  roads  are  open  to  a  dietitian. 
She  may,  after  passing  an  examination,  become  a  cook- 
ing teacher,  a  hospital  dietitian,  or  a  club,  or  hotel 
dietitian.  The  cooking  teacher  has  the  same  working 
hours  as  a  grade  teacher  and  about  the  same  salary. 
In  some  cases  it  is  slightly  larger  than  a  grade  teacher's. 
The  position  of  hospital  dietitian  in  small  hospitals  is 
practically  a  combination  of  housekeeper,  teacher  and 
expert  cook.  In  addition  to  other  work,  she  often  gives 
lecture  courses  to  the  student  nurses.  She  prepares 
special  diets  prescribed  by  physicians.  In  larger  hos- 
pitals, however,  thq  housekeeping  is  in  charge  of  a 


112          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

regular  housekeeper,  leaving  the  dietitian  free  to  work 
in  her  special  field. 

As  the  relation  of  diet  to  health  and  disease  is  be- 
coming more  clearly  recognized  year  by  year,  it  is 
receiving  greater  attention  in  hospitals.  The  position 
of  dietitian  is,  therefore,  becoming  correspondingly  more 
important,  responsible  and  better  paid.  And,  what  is 
far  more  important  for  the  general  good,  the  dietitian 
is  allowed  more  freedom  in  selecting  such  quality  and 
quantity  as  patients  require. 

It  is  impossible  to  state  any  definite  salary  for  the 
dietitian,  for  this  differs  so  much  in  different  hospitals. 
However,  it  is  always  adequate  enough  to  permit  a 
comfortable  livelihood.  Dietetics  is  in  its  infancy  as  a 
profession  and  until  it  has  a  fixed  standard  among  the 
professions  there  will  be,  unfortunately,  no  set  scale 
of  salaries.  Resident  housekeepers  in  public  institu- 
tions, such  as  orphan  asylums,  homes,  reformatories, 
etc.,  are  more  and  more  often  chosen  from  among  the 
graduates  of  Home  Economic  Courses.  The  salary 
ranges  from  $1000  to  $1500  a  year.  This  often  in- 
cludes maintenance,  which  of  course  is  worth  several 
hundred  dollars  more  a  year. 

In  some  cities  a  new  branch  is  open  to  dietitians. 
The  girl  who  has  had  some  experience  as  a  social 
worker,  may  find  the  position  of  visiting  housekeeper  an 
interesting  one.  This  visiting  housekeeper  is  employed 
by  charity  or  other  relief  societies  to  go  into  the  homes 
of  the  poor.  Here  the  wife  and  mother  is  taught  in  her 


THE  SOCIAL  WORKER  118 

own  kitchen  how  to  prepare  food  properly,  cheaply, 
attractively  and  to  plan  her  meals.  She  is  also  taught 
how  to  market  to  advantage.  This  field  is  perhaps  the 
hardest  of  all  open  to  dietitians.  Sometimes  the  visit- 
ing dietitian  suffers  scathing  rebuffs,  and  at  all  times 
the  tragic  side  of  life  is  before  her.  The  salary  depends 
entirely  on  the  association  or  department  by  which  she 
is  employed. 

As  the  field  of  dietetics  grows  it  is  rapidly  becoming 
more  attractive.  Dietetics  is  one  of  the  very  few  oc- 
cupations where  women  do  not  compete  with  men.  In 
most  occupations  women  are  breaking  into  fields  hitherto 
occupied  by  men. 

It  is  predicted  that  with  cooperative  apartments, 
"  the  cooperative  dietitian "  who  will  either  cook  or 
superintend  the  cooking  for  a  whole  house  of  people, 
will  be  a  reality.  Then  it  will  be  as  unusual  a  sight  to 
see  a  mother  scorching  her  face  over  a  stove,  as  it  is 
nowadays  to  see  her  cutting  out  and  making  her  hus- 
band's or  son's  trousers.  That  remains  to  be  seen. 
However,  even  at  present,  the  girl  who  studies  dietetics 
opens  a  path  to  herself  which  is  both  delightfully  pleas- 
ant and  lucrative. 

THE   SOCIAL   WORKER 

Social  service  work  should  appeal  strongly  to  the 
high  school  graduate  possessed  of  a  strong  desire  to  help 
her  less  fortunate  neighbor,  a  willingness  to  work  under 
drab  and  squalid  conditions,  and  a  ready  sympathy 


114          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

•which  may  be  converted  into  efficient  action  rather  than 
into  useless,  though  possibly  self-gratifying  emotion  and 
sentimentality.  The  work  is,  assuredly,  not  joyful,  or, 
of  itself,  conducive  to  happiness,  but  cheerfulness  and 
optimism  are  absolutely  essential  to  the  social  worker, — 
else  her  mission  will  remain  only  half  accomplished. 

To  be  successful,  a  girl  must  have,  besides  a  buoyant 
nature  fortified  against  melancholy,  a  strong  constitu- 
tion, an  alert  and  open  mind,  unbounded  tact,  together 
with  a  general  liking  for  the  work.  Although  she  may 
feel,  at  first,  a  certain  shyness  or  timidity  in  approach- 
ing the  unfortunate,  she  can  usually  overcome  this  by 
experience.  However,  the  girl  who  becomes  easily  de- 
spondent, who  is  self-conscious,  or  faint-hearted  will, 
without  doubt,  fail  utterly  as  a  social  worker. 

The  social  worker  should  have  the  equivalent  of  a 
college  education  before  she  enters  the  field  of  organized 
philanthropy.  However,  a  high  school  graduate  is  ad- 
mitted to  most  schools  devoted  to  training  for  social 
service.  The  trained  worker  is  needed  in  relief  work 
for  charitable  societies,  in  probation  work  for  courts 
and  prisons,  in  government  investigations,  and  in  the 
social  work  of  schools,  settlements,  hospitals  and 
asylums. 

The  salaries  usually  paid  to  social  workers  range 
from  $40  to  $100  a  month,  according  to  the  responsibil- 
ity of  the  position,  and  the  length  of  service.  Saturday 
afternoons  and  legal  holidays  are  free.  A  summer 
vacation  of  two  or  three  weeks  is  usually  allowed  with 
full  salary.  And  when  the  season's  work  has  been  un- 


THE  NURSE  115 

usually  taxing,  a  spring  recess  of  from  three  days  to 
a  week  is  often  granted. 

The  nervous  strain  of  social  welfare  work  is  great, 
but  its  unceasing  variety  tends  to  lessen  that  strain. 
Then,  too,  a  girl  is  brought  into  contact  with  the  highest 
and  lowest  classes  of  humanity.  At  one  extreme,  she 
finds  the  highly  intelligent  and  public-spirited  leaders 
in  social  welfare  movements;  at  the  other,  the  poor 
whom  it  is  her  work  to  assist. 

Undoubtedly,  social  welfare  work  is  one  of  the  noblest 
professions  which  a  girl  can  enter.  No  matter  what 
the  duty,  unpleasant  though  it  may  be,  the  worker  will 
respond  cheerfully  with  an  encouraging  word,  a  bright 
smile,  and  a  promise  of  assistance.  A  fact  which  one 
who  goes  into  this  work  must  face,  is  that  the  most 
that  can  be  done  in  social  service  is  often,  as  a  social 
worker  once  put  it :  "  pitifully  little  in  comparison  with 
what  is  needed." 

THE  NURSE 

Some  girls  seem  born  with  a  natural  talent  for  caring 
for  the  sick  and  suffering.  Without  this,  the  intimate, 
tedious  tasks  of  a  nurse  are  very  irksome,  but  with  it, 
they  are  glorified  into  beautiful  work,  gladly  done. 

It  is  work  that  offers  the  most  immediate  return  of 
gratitude  and  affection  from  the  patient.  It  offers  too 
a  very  certain  reward  in  the  way  of  money,  and  is  one 
of  the  few  fields  where  the  female  sex  predominates. 
There  are,  it  is  true,  a  few  male  nurses,  but  women  are 
by  nature  more  fitted  for  this  work  than  men.  The 


116          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

field  for  nurses  is  a  large  one,  since  there  are  many 
grades  and  classes  of  nurses.  A  good  nurse,  therefore, 
need  be  out  of  a  position  only  when  she  feels  that  she 
needs  a  rest  from  her  arduous  work. 

Tact,  sympathy  with  suffering,  reliability,  a  good 
head  capable  of  making  unerring  emergency  judgments, 
as  well  as  a  robust  constitution,  are  absolute  essentials 
for  a  career  as  trained  nurse.  Any  physical  weakness 
will  debar  a  girl  from  even  entering  a  training  school. 
A  cheery  voice  is  a  most  useful  asset  for  the  nurse. 

A  high  school  diploma  is  demanded  for  entrance  to 
many  of  the  nurses'  training  schools,  and  all  the  sub- 
jects studied  at  high  school  will  be  found  of  use  to  the 
prospective  nurse.  However,  the  combination  of  phys- 
ical strength,  sympathetic  personality,  and  peculiar 
adaptability  to  nursing,  is  of  sufficient  value,  and  ex- 
ceptions are  often  made  in  the  cases  of  such  girls  who 
have  had  little  school  education.  Six  to  four  months' 
probation  period  is  required  by  most  hospitals,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time,  if  a  girl  has  passed  the  tests  of 
earnestness,  endurance  and  intelligence,  she  may  enter 
the  regular  training  course  as  pupil  nurse.  Hospitals 
differ  in  grade,  and  a  girl  should  be  careful  to  train  in 
the  best  hospital  available.  She  will  find  that  the 
standing  in  medical  circles  of  her  training-hospital  will 
influence  her  own  standing  in  her  profession,  later  on. 
Therefore,  when  selecting  her  hospital,  she  should 
weigh  carefully  such  questions  as  size,  scope  of  work 
and  standards  of  admission 


THE  NURSE  117 

The  length  of  time  pursued  in  training  is  from  two 
to  three  years,  preferably  three.  During  this  time, 
the  hospital  makes  no  charge  for  teaching,  as  the  student 
is  doing  actual  work.  In  addition,  she  receives  her 
board  and  lodging  free,  and  most  hospitals  allow  their 
pupils  a  small  sum — usually  from  five  to  twelve  dollars 
a  month,  which  can  be  made  to  cover  the  expense  of 
clothes  and  books.  All  the  medical  attention  a  nurse 
may  require,  while  she  is  a  pupil,  will  be  given  her 
free  by  the  doctors  in  the  hospital  where  she  is  training. 
After  she  is  a  graduate  nurse,  she  will  receive  either 
medical  or  surgical  treatment  free  as  a  professional 
courtesy  from  any  doctor. 

During  her  training,  the  pupil  will  be  on  duty  from 
seven  in  the  morning  to  seven  at  night  with  two  hours 
off  for  rest  and  recreation.  In  addition  she  will  have 
a  half  day  off  each  week,  and  probably  a  half  day  on 
Sunday.  An  annual  vacation  of  from  two  to  four 
weeks  is  given.  The  work  is  so  arduous  that  a  wise 
nurse  uses  most  of  her  time  outside  the  hospital  for 
sleep  or  some  outdoor  recreation  like  tennis,  golf  or 
walking.  In  most  hospitals,  all  communication  except 
that  connected  with  their  profession,  is  forbidden  be- 
tween doctors  and  nurses.  Social  engagements  are, 
however,  practically  almost  out  of  the  question  for  the 
nurse  in  training  on  account  of  the  hard  work  required 
of  her. 

The  subjects  studied  include  anatomy,  chemistry  and 
other  laboratory  sciences,  nursing  in  all  its  branches, 


118          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

massage,  dietetics,  and  invalid  cookery.  Some  of  the 
classes  are  often  held  in  connection  with  classes  of 
medical  students,  if  a  medical  college  is  connected  with 
the  hospital.  Of  course,  the  nurse  gets  practical  ex- 
perience in  working  in  all  the  departments  of  the  hos- 
pital. Nursing  is  one  of  the  few  occupations,  possibly 
the  only  one  except  telephoning,  where  a  girl  earns  her 
expenses  while  learning.  This  is  an  item  of  importance. 
After  graduation,  varied  fields  are  open  to  the  trained 
nurse.  Graduate  nurses  in  private  work  receive  salaries 
of  twenty  or  twenty-five  dollars  a  week,  often  more. 
When  there  are  two  nurses  on  a  case,  one  takes  the  night 
work,  the  other,  the  day.  If,  however,  there  is  hut  one 
nurse,  she  will  probably  lose  much  sleep.  She  is  sup- 
posed to  take  two  hours  off  for  rest  or  recreation  during 
the  day,  except  when  the  patient's  condition  absolutely 
precludes  this.  There  are  also  many  positions  in  hos- 
pitals open  to  the  graduate  nurse.  Superintendents 
receive  from  $75  to  $150  a  month,  with  maintenance; 
associate  superintendents,  $50  to  $100.  The  salary  of 
a  head  nurse  is  from  $40  to  $90,  including  board,  lodg- 
ing and  laundry  work. 

In  many  cities,  the  Board  of  Health  employs  visiting 
nurses  who  go  from  house  to  house  in  the  poorer  dis- 
tricts, teaching  sanitation  and  attending  the  sick. 
These  nurses  receive  from  $50  to  $100  a  month,  with- 
out maintenance.  There  are  often  nurses  employed  by 
the  cities  for  work  in  the  public  schools,  whose  salaries 
range  from  $60  to  $100  without  living  expenses.  In 


THE  NURSE  119 

Eed  Cross  work  salaries  range  from  $50  to  $100  a 
month.  In  the  last  few  years,  the  large  department 
stores  have  adopted  the  practice  of  employing  a  trained 
nurse  who  is  on  duty  in  the  store  hospital  from  nine 
to  six.  The  hours  are  not  bad,  the  work  is  steady  and 
often  light,  and  the  salary  either  twenty  or  twenty-five 
dollars  a  week.  A  position  of  this  kind  is  very  desirable 
since  the  strain  is  not  as  great  as  in  many  other  posi- 
tions. The  store  nurse  will  seldom  have  acute  sickness 
to  deal  with  and  when  she  does,  it  will  only  be  for  the 
short  time  elapsing  before  the  patient  can  be  taken  to 
a  regular  hospital. 

These  positions  are  only  open  to  graduate  nurses. 
Under-graduates,  or  those  who  are  compelled  to  leave 
before  the  completion  of  their  course,  may  obtain  posi- 
tions as  "  practical  nurses,"  at  a  salary  of  fifteen  or 
eighteen  dollars  a  week.  A  practical  nurse  is  one  who 
not  only  takes  care  of  the  patient,  but  also  attends  to 
the  cooking  of  the  food,  and  supervises  the  household 
to  a  certain  extent. 

A  nurse  may  make  a  specialty  of  one  particular 
disease;  or  she  may  become  a  trained  infants'  or  chil- 
dren's nurse.  A  kindergarten  course  would  be  especially 
useful  to  a  girl  contemplating  the  latter. 

Many  doctors  keep  in  touch  with  particular  nurses 
whom  they  know  to  be  skilful,  and  whom  they  always 
recommend  to  their  patients.  Thus  a  nurse  who  be- 
comes favorably  known  to  one  or  two  physicians  may 
feel  virtually  confident  of  constant  employment.  A 


120          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

girl  may  also  register  at  one  of  the  nurses'  employment 
bureaus,  and  obtain  cases  through  them. 

A  nurse's  mission  in  life  is,  assuredly,  a  great  deal, 
and  if  a  girl  has  grit  and  perseverance  together  with  an 
inborn  capacity  for  personal  service  and  an  understand- 
ing of  sick  people,  she  should  succeed  as  a  nurse.  Pos- 
sibly the  quality  of  sympathetic  cheerfulness  should  also 
be  added  to  this  list  of  essentials  as  all-important,  for 
sick  people  are  unusually  sensitive  and  often  come  to 
rely  to  an  amazing  degree  on  their  nurse.  Her  smiles 
and  her  sympathy  do  something  for  a  patient  that  is  as 
essential  to  recovery  as  the  doctor's  pills  and  treatment. 
And  while  a  girl  may  hear  other  essentials  more  often 
mentioned  as  qualifications  for  a  nurse,  she  should  real- 
ize that  the  ability  to  radiate  her  own  buoyancy  and 
health  is  necessary  to  be  a  really  great  success  in  the 
profession  of  trained  nurse. 

THE  PHYSICIAN 

The  girl  who  is  strong  physically,  has  a  love  of  science 
and  of  curing  the  sick  will  do  well  to  consider  medicine 
as  her  chosen  profession.  This  field  for  women  is  by 
no  means  overcrowded,  the  few  existing  barriers  being 
rapidly  broken  down. 

For  this  profession  the  regular  college  preparatory 
high  school  course  is  essential.  It  is  advisable  for  the 
girl  who  contemplates  taking  a  medical  course  to  study 
Latin  as  one  of  her  languages.  A  knowledge  of  ele- 
.mentary  Chemistry  is  absolutely  essential.  There  are, 


THE  PHYSICIAN  121 

however,  very  few  women's  medical  colleges  which 
admit  students  on  merely  a  high  school  diploma.  Some 
demand  two  years  of  general  college  training,  whereas 
others  require  a  recognized  A.B.  or  B.S.  degree.  If  it 
is  a  possibility  the  full  college  preparation  is  strongly 
urged,  as  medicine  is  primarily  a  profession  for  mature 
minds.  However,  no  girl  need  feel  discouraged  if  she 
really  feels  that  she  is  fitted  for  medical  work  and  if 
she  cannot  afford  the  full  college  course  before  under- 
taking her  professional  studies.  Some  colleges  give  a 
six  year  course,  both  general  and  medical,  after  which 
the  student  receives  both  the  A.B.  and  the  M.D.  degrees. 

As  the  actual  medical  training  for  four  years  takes 
almost  the  entire  day  of  the  student's  time,  it  is  prac- 
tically impossible  for  a  medical  student  to  support 
herself  while  studying.  The  expenses  of  the  entire 
course  amount  to  about  $3000  for  the  four  years.  Yet 
in  spite  of  the  large  sum  required,  there  have  been  brave 
women  who  have  managed  to  work  their  way  through 
medical  college.  Summer  work  and  some  borrowing  of 
money  will  help  a  great  deal.  The  girl  who  really  is 
determined  will  succeed;  she  need  only  remember  that 
there  are  many  eminent  physicians  on  whom  financial 
burdens  weighed  heavily  while  they  were  students,  who 
by  the  time  they  were  thirty,  had  managed  to  pay  all 
their  debts  and  to  have  an  assured  income. 

After  completing  the  medical  course,  at  least  a  year's 
hospital  practice  is  necessary.  In  the  larger  cities  such 
positions  are  not  very  hard  for  women  to  obtain.  It  is 


122          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

usually  several  years  before  the  young  physician  will 
be  in  a  position  to  rely  wholly  on  private  practice. 
Medical  positions  in  various  institutions  often  pay  fair 
salaries,  affording  much  practice  and  steady  remunera- 
tion. Among  such  are  school  inspectors ;  visiting  physi- 
cians under  the  auspices  of  the  Board  of  Health ;  school 
doctors;  prison  doctors;  resident  physicians  in  infant, 
insane  and  maternity  hospitals  and  in  convalescent 
homes.  Salaries  in  these  vary  from  $1200  to  $3000  a 
year.  Income  from  private  practice  will,  of  course, 
vary  in  different  cases. 

Foreign  mission  work,  medical  work  in  Oriental 
countries  where  male  physicians  in  attendance  on  women 
is  by  custom  prohibited,  specialization  in  the  field 
of  child  hygiene,  work  with  women's  diseases,  social 
welfare  work,  factory  visiting,  and  the  examination  of 
applicants  for  life  and  industrial  insurance  companies 
are  some  of  the  branches  of  the  work  eminently  suited 
to  the  woman  physician. 

In  all  kinds  of  medical  work  strength  and  endurance 
are  essential,  as  the  work  is  laborious  even  under  the 
best  of  conditions.  The  going  from  patient  to  patient 
is  exhausting.  "Not  only  is  physical  power  necessary 
but  a  pleasing,  tactful  personality  should  be  just  as 
much  a  part  of  a  physician's  equipment  as  medical  or 
surgical  knowledge. 

This  profession  is  an  ideal  one,  but  as  is  the  case 
in  most  ideal  professions,  the  path  to  success  is  rather 
long  and  stony.  Yet,  it  does  yield  both  financial  and 


THE  OCULIST  123 

professional  satisfaction  to  the  girl  who  is  willing  to 
travel  it.  To  cure  the  sick,  to  prevent  the  well  from 
becoming  sick,  to  help  raise  the  standard  of  living  con- 
ditions and  perchance  to  contribute  something  toward 
the  cure  of  diseases — this  is,  in  truth,  worthy  of  the 
best  efforts  of  woman. 

THE  OCULIST 

The  profession  of  oculist  is  one  that  has  grown  with 
the  increasing  interest,  both  public  and  private,  in  good 
health. 

An  oculist  is  one  who  examines  and  treats  eyes.  A1 
girl  intending  to  become  an  oculist  must  have  a  world  of 
patience,  a  bearing  that  will  command  confidence,  pluck, 
and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  her  profession. 

Training  for  this  profession  requires  either  a  two 
years'  course  of  study  at  an  approximate  cost  of  $400, 
or  three  years  of  private  study  with  a  registered  optome- 
trist. After  graduation  a  state  examination  must  be 
passed  before  a  woman  may  practise.  Most  states 
charge  an  entrance  fee  for  the  privilege  of  taking  the 
examination  and  a  certain  small  amount  for  the  license. 
Many  colleges  give  courses  in  optometry,  and,  strange 
to  relate,  there  does  not  seem  to  be  any  marked  prej- 
udice against  women  entering  them.  There  are,  how- 
ever, more  women  optometrists  in  the  West  than  in 
the  East.  The  license  secured,  two  or  three  years'  ex- 
perience in  an  optometrist's  office  should  follow  before 
a  girl  attempts  independent  work  in  an  office  of  her 


124          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

own.     The  only  way  to  gain  such  a  position  is  by  ad- 
vertising or  by  personal  visits  to  registered  oculists. 

Experienced  oculists  or  optometrists  may  have  their 
own  offices,  or  they  may  take  positions  at  a  stated  salary 
in  retail  stores.  Most  of  the  largest  department  stores 
now  have  an  optometrist  whose  services  are  free  to 
customers.  In  all  cases,  if  an  optometrist  proves  her 
ability,  her  advancement  and  success  are  reasonably 
certain.  Men,  as  a  rule,  prefer  to  have  men  examine 
their  eyes.  However,  many  women  choose  to  entrust 
their  children  and  themselves  to  the  care  of  a  woman. 

In  connection  with  that  of  oculist,  there  is  also  the 
profession  of  optician.  The  optician  is  the  one  who 
attends  to  the  mechanical  end  of  the  work — filling  the 
prescription  given  by  the  oculist,  adjusting  and  mount- 
ing the  lenses.  All  this  is  included  in  the  optometry 
courses,  and  girls  who  feel  diffident  of  their  ability  to 
instil  confidence  in  those  they  meet,  who  haven't  tact 
or  an  easy,  assuring  manner,  might  prefer  specializing 
in  this  branch  of  the  work. 

One  of  the  first  women  to  become  a  registered  op- 
tometrist in  the  West  gives  the  following  bit  of  advice  to 
girls  who  are  either  studying  or  planning  to  study  op- 
tometry : 

"  First :  Know  your  profession. 

Second :  Keep  only  the  best  grade  of  goods  in  stock. 

Third:  When  you  begin  business  for  yourself,  do 

a  bit  of  judicious  advertising.    You  can  increase  your 

number  of  patients  by  advertising  in  a  direct  way, — that 


THE  DENTIST  125 

is  by  personal  letters ;  but  the  most  effective  advertising 
comes  through  a  well-pleased  patient  or  satisfied  cus- 
tomer. Satisfaction  alone  produces  profit, — not  only  so 
far  as  the  amount  we  make  on  one  individual,  but  on  the 
many  who  are  devoted  to  us." 

Kemember  that.  And  the  girl  who  enters  the  field 
of  optometry,  equipped  with  a  level  business  head  and 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  her  profession,  will  find  an 
interesting  field. 

THE  DENTIST 

One  of  the  fields  into  which  women  have  thus  so  far 
ventured  rather  cautiously,  is  that  of  Dentistry.  Per- 
haps many  girls  who  would  really  like  to  become  dentists 
are  afraid  that  their  chances  of  success  are  slight  be- 
cause dentistry  until  a  few  years  ago  was  considered  a 
man's  profession.  This  is  a  mistaken  idea.  But  it  is 
only  fair  to  say  that  success  comes  less  readily  to  a 
woman  than  to  a  man. 

While  there  are  few  women  dentists  in  the  East 
there  are  many  in  the  West  who  are  making  great  suc- 
cess. In  one  New  York  college  women  students  receive 
an  especially  cordial  reception.  The  dean  of  that  in- 
stitution says  that  at  the  last  graduation  eight  medals 
out  of  eleven  awarded  for  exceptional  merit,  were  given 
to  women. 

Health,  strength  and  a  cheerful  disposition  are  ab- 
solutely necessary  qualifications.  As  a  dentist  stands  all 
the  time  she  works,  the  strain  on  the  nervous  system 


126          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

is  tremendous.  There  is  obviously  great  eyestrain 
also.  Even  when  a  dentist  has  exceptionally  strong 
eight  to  begin  with,  she  usually  has  to  resort  to  glasses 
after  a  few  years'  practice. 

All  colleges  of  dentistry  have  their  own  qualifications 
for  admission;  and  the  girl  contemplating  studying 
dentistry  should  write  to  the  various  colleges  for  cir- 
culars. The  course  is  usually  three  years,  covering 
eight  months  of  the  year.  During  the  summer  vacation 
most  dental  school  clinics  are  open  and  the  students  are 
permitted  to  practise.  The  usual  fee  is  $200  a  year, 
exclusive  of  laboratory  charges,  and  some  few  minor 
fees. 

On  graduation,  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Dental  Sur- 
gery is  conferred  on  the  successful  candidate.  Once 
a  full-fledged  dentist,  two  courses  are  open  to  a  girl. 
She  may  begin  at  once  in  an  office  of  her  own,  or  go  into 
the  office  of  an  established  dentist.  The  choice  depends 
entirely  on  her  circumstances,  confidence  and  ability. 
It  takes  capital  to  hire  and  equip  an  independent  office, 
and  the  responsibility  is  correspondingly  large. 

However,  if  a  girl  has  enough  money  to  live  on  until 
patients  arrive,  and  kind  friends  who  are  willing  to 
patronize  her,  perhaps  it  may  be  wise  to  start  out  for 
herself  directly  after  graduation.  Nevertheless  if  a  girl 
is  a  stranger  in  the  city,  is  timid  and  desires  experience 
before  she  opens  her  own  office,  the  second  way  will  be 
the  better  one  for  her  to  follow.  Two  or  three  years  in 
the  office  of  a  dentist  ought  to  give  her  confidence  and 


THE  DENTIST  127 

help  Her  financial  resources  considerably.  Of  course 
unless  a  girl  has  many  friends  who  will  patronize  her, 
her  returns  for  the  first  few  years  will  be  surprisingly 
small.  Then  too,  she  must  overcome  by  her  ability  and 
personality  the  prejudice  which  exists  in  some  measure 
against  women  dentists. 

In  dentistry  a  woman  may  specialize  as  in  many  other 
occupations.  However,  a  very  large  practice  to  start 
with,  or  else  friends  in  the  profession  who  are  willing 
to  send  their  patients  to  her,  are  necessary  before  a 
dentist  should  attempt  to  specialize.  In  the  West  there 
is  one  woman  who  is  a  specialist  in  orthodontia  or  the 
straightening  of  teeth.  Her  income  runs  high  into  the 
thousands  yearly.  The  work  is  not  nearly  so  hard  as 
general  dentistry  and  what  one  woman  has  done  others 
may  do.  There  is  also  a  wide  field  for  women  in  the 
treatment  of  children's  first  teeth.  Many  dentists  have 
such  large  practices  that  it  is  almost  impossible  for  them 
to  devote  time  to  treating  children.  If  a  woman  would 
specialize  in  children's  teeth  she  could  without  doubt 
build  up  an  extensive  business.  Dentists  would  be 
relieved  of  a  big  responsibility  and  would  gladly  send 
their  youthful  patients  to  a  child  specialist.  When  the 
children  get  their  second  teeth  she  should  be  scrupu- 
lously fair  and  send  them  back  to  their  own  dentist. 

One  woman  dentist  whose  income  was  $1000  her 
first  year  of  practice,  $2000  the  second  and  $3000  the 
third,  says  in  regard  to  dentistry  as  a  profession  for 
women,  "  The  work  is  trying  to  nerves  and  body,  I 


128          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

admit,  but  the  interest  in  it  is  never  flagging.  In  den- 
tistry there  is  always  something  new  and  different.  Each 
case  brings  new  methods  of  treatment  and  an  opportu- 
nity to  be  as  original  as  possible.  Dentistry  is  surely  a 
work  for  women  and  a  day  is  coming,  I'm  sure,  when 
more  women  will  realize  this  fact  and  enter  the  profes- 


THE   PHARMACIST 

Unfortunately,  the  general  public  on  whom  we  depend 
<(  for  our  bread  and  butter,  has  been  skeptical  about 
women's  ability  to  prepare  drugs.  !N"ow  they  are  begin- 
ning to  realize  that  women  are  as  competent  to  do  that 
as  men.  With  a  little  personality,  great  perseverance 
and  much  hard  work,  women  can  and  have  built  up  as 
large  clienteles  for  their  pharmacies  as  men. 

As  you  may  readily  see,  a  girl's  opportunities  in  this 
field  are  not  very  great,  but  they  are  improving  yearly. 
Pharmacy  has  one  big  advantage  over  many  of  the  other 
professions, — namely,  that  while  a  girl  is  studying,  she 
may  be  earning  something.  A  girl  is  eligible  for  the 
civil  service  examinations,  and,  if  she  passes  them  very 
well,  she  stands  a  chance  of  appointment  to  one  of  the 
fe\v  jobs  as  drug  and  food  inspector,  at  a  comfortable 
salary.  This  is  one  of  the  best  openings  for  a  girl 
who  is  a  graduate  pharmacist. 

Before  a  girl  may  enter  a  college  of  pharmacy,  she 

,   must  have  graduated  from  high  school.     The  college 

course  is  usually  three  years  and  costs  about  $225.    Of 


THE  PHARMACIST  129 

course,  the  entrance  requirements  of  colleges  differ  as  to 
individual  subjects.  The  diplomas  of  foreign  schools 
are  accepted  as  adequate  for  entrance.  One  woman  in 
Brooklyn  who  owns  her  own  drug  store,  is  a  graduate 
of  a  Kussian  Gymnasium. 

When  a  student  has  graduated  and  passed  the  State 
examination,  she  may  obtain  a  position  in  a  hospital  or 
dispensary.  She  would  have  to  pass  no  further  examina- 
tions for  these  very  desirable  positions,  and  she  would 
^  not  have  to  combat  a  prejudice  against  the  employment 
of  women. 

In  a  dispensary,  the  hours  are  short,  usually  from 
ten  or  eleven  in  the  morning  to  four  in  the  afternoon. 
The  salaries  are  generally  $50  a  month.  The  work  is 
light. 

In  a  hospital,  too,  the  hours  are  short,  and  the  work 
equally  desirable.  The  salary  is  from  $10  to  $12.50  a 
week,  including  laundry,  meals  and,  ofttimes,  lodging. 
Jn  these  particulars,  a  hospital  has  an  advantage  over 
a  dispensary  position. 

Because  men  can  stand  longer  hours  than  women, 
they  are  preferred  in  pharmacies.  It  is  sometimes  diffi- 
cult, therefore,  for  a  girl  to  obtain  a  position.  There 
v  are,  however,  a  great  number  of  unlicensed  stores,  where 
the  owners  are  compelled  to  place  graduate  clerks  in 
charge.  Such  owners  usually  hire  girls  because,  un- 
fortunately, they  can  hire  girls  at  a  lower  salary  than 
men.  A  girl  may  also  act  as  relief  clerk  (substituting 
for  the  regular  pharmacist)  receiving  $3  daily. 


130          THE   PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

In  a  pharmacy,  the  hours  are  very  long  and  often 
unspecified,  depending  upon  the  employer. 

Up  to  the  present  time,  but  few  women  have  started 
in  this  business.  It  should  be  pointed  out  in  connec- 
tion with  this  profession  that  the  drug  trade  is  being 
very  rapidly  taken  over  by  large  corporations  and  in 
great  cities  most  of  the  independent  druggists  have  had 
to  yield  their  stores  to  the  great  corporations.  This  will 
undoubtedly  spread  to  the  smaller  towns  soon,  and  it 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  chance  of  really  own- 
ing one's  own  drugstore  will  in  the  near  future  be  rather 
remote.  When  one  has  intense  interest  in  this  profes- 
sion, without  a  desire  to  be  one's  own  boss,  this  does 
not  materially  change  the  desirability  of  the  choice  of 
pharmacy  for  a  girl. 

THE    BACTERIOLOGIST 

Not  the  least  among  the  remarkable  array  of  profes- 
sions open  to  women  is  that  of  bacteriologist.  This  pro- 
fession will  appeal  to  the  girl  who  has  a  systematic  turn 
of  mind,  an  ability  to  learn  new  things  quickly,  accuracy 
and  conscientious  attention  to  duty,  together  with  a  love 
of  discovering  new  truths  and  an  absolute  lack  of  senti- 
mentality. 

These  sound  like  a  formidable  array  of  almost  im- 
possible qualifications,  but  in  reality  one  leads  directly 
to  the  other.  If  a  girl  likes  laboratory  work  and  desires 
to  enter  that  field  more  than  any  other,  she  ought  to 
be  successful.  Some  girls  begin  work  in  a  laboratory 


THE  BACTERIOLOGIST  131 

and  after  two  or  three  months  find  that  instead  of  ab- 
sorbing their  attention  the  work  only  weakens  and 
sickens  them. 

The  training  for  laboratory  assistant  or  bacteriologist 
differs  from  almost  any  other  profession.  Perhaps  this 
is  because  the  work  is  really  in  its  infancy  and  as  it 
grows  without  doubt  the  requirements  will  increase  pro- 
portionally. One  bacteriologist  insists  that  in  the 
future  only  men  and  women  with  an  M.A.  degree  will 
hold  the  position. 

At  present  girls  with  a  college  degree,  whether  it  be 
in  science  or  not,  are  more  welcome  in  a  laboratory  than 
those  with  merely  a  High  School  diploma.  Girls  who 
take  a  college  course,  intending  to  become  bacteriologists 
would  be  wise  to  specialize  in  chemistry  and  physiology. 

College  girls,  who  lean  toward  this  research  work, 
volunteer  to  work  in  a  laboratory,  usually  one  connected 
with  the  Board  of  Health  in  their  City,  for  a  specified 
time,  generally  from  one  to  six  months.  At  the  end  of 
that  time  the  bacteriologist  in  charge  will  know  whether 
or  not  the  girl  ought  to  try  to  pass  the  civil  service 
examination  for  an  assistant's  position.  In  New  York 
City,  all  Board  of  Health  positions  are  obtained  through 
Civil  Service. 

As  laboratory  assistant  a  girl  will  begin  with  a  salary 
of  $50  a  month,  being  raised  to  $62.50  and  finally  re- 
ceiving $75.  That  is  as  high  as  she  may  go  as  an 
assistant. 

An  assistant  does  the  purely  routine  work  mapped  out 


132          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

by  her  superior.  Yet  to  do  it  well,  she  must  be  minutely 
accurate,  systematic  and  quick. 

If  a  girl  desire  to  rise  above  a  $75  a  month  job,  she 
will  have  to  pass  an  examination  as  bacteriologist.  A 
bacteriologist  receives  $100  to  start,  probably  being 
raised  to  $150  after  years  of  work. 

There  isn't  any  definite  plan  of  promotion  or  in- 
crease in  salary.  Promotion  comes  only  through  death 
of  a  person  holding  a  higher  position  or  through  a 
resignation.  There  are,  however,  laboratories  both  in 
hospitals  and  in  private  sanitariums  where  the  salaries 
are  a  little  higher.  In  all  laboratories  the  hours  are 
usually  from  9  to  5,  and  9  to  4  in  summer. 

Closely  allied  with  bacteriology  is  the  science  of 
serology,  the  analysis  of  serums,  and  the  study  of  blood 
analysis.  The  positions  occupied  by  serologists  and 
bacteriologists  pay  about  the  same.  Often  a  bacteriolo- 
gist does  the  work  in  serology. 

In  every  laboratory  there  is  a  helper  who  cleans 
bottles,  test  tubes  and  who  helps  with  the  dissecting  and 
inoculating.  These  helpers  do  not  have  to  pass  any 
examination,  and  are  usually  women  with  little  or  no 
education.  They  receive  from  $20  to  $50  a  month. 

In  one  of  the  New  York  laboratories,  the  helper  can 
dissect  an  animal  as  skilfully  as  any  one  of  the  assist- 
ants or  bacteriologists.  She  is  a  woman  who  can  barely 
write  her  name ;  yet  she  is  invaluable  in  the  laboratory. 

"  Unless  a  girl  desires  to  work  in  a  laboratory  more 
than  anything  else  in  the  world,  she  ought  not  to  attempt 


THE  NEWSPAPER  WOMAN  133 

the  work,"  a  clever  bacteriologist  advises.  "  I  have  had 
all  types  of  girls  under  me.  Some  of  them  will  make 
splendid  assistants,  splendid  routine  workers,  but  they 
have  not  the  initiative  ever  to  become  bacteriologists. 

"  The  recompense  is  small  in  comparison  to  the  labor 
involved.  If  you  don't  love  the  work,  it  soon  becomes 
drudgery.  You  have  to  forget  self.  Most  girls  faint 
the  first  time  they  assist  at  a  dissection,  but  they  soon 
get  over  the  feeling. 

"  Every  year  the  field  widens,  but  with  the  growth 
of  the  work,  the  requirements  are  also  increasing." 

"  Then  the  salaries  will  be  larger,"  I  suggested. 

"  I  don't  know,  I  hardly  think  the  City  departments 
will  ever  pay  much  more,  but  private  laboratories  may. 
Bacteriology  is  not  a  question  of  pay,  but  largely  of 
love  and  interest." 

The  girl  whose  greatest  aim  is  to  make  money  had 
better  avoid  bacteriology.  But  the  girl  who  loves  to 
discover  new  things  just  for  the  sheer  delight  of  dis- 
covery, and  to  aid  humanity,  will  find  bacteriology  an 
absorbing  field. 

THE    NEWSPAPER    WOMAN 

When  we  pay  a  copper  cent  for  a  newspaper  sold  by 
a  loudly  screaming  youngster  on  the  corner,  how  many 
of  us  stop  to  realize  the  vast  amount  of  time  and  energy, 
of  brains  and  money,  that  has  been  expended  in  produc- 
ing that  penny  sheet  for  five  or  ten  minutes'  perusal? 
Yet  infinite  resources  have  been  applied  to  the  paper, 


134          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  every  item  of  news  has  passed 
through  a  dozen  hands.  \Ve  shall  not  discuss  here  the 
inner  workings  of  a  newspaper  office.  They  will  all 
become  known  to  the  girl  who  becomes  a  newspaper 
woman.  (She  should  never  call  herself  a  "  journalist  " 
in  a  newspaper  office;  she  would  be  laughed  at.) 

An  iron  constitution  is  the  first  and  greatest  re- 
quisite for  a  successful  career  for  the  woman  who 
desires  to  gain  admission  to  this  profession  which  is 
already  overcrowded  with  men.  It  can  not  be  said 
that  either  a  high  school  education  or  a  college  educa- 
tion is  necessary  for  a  woman  reporter.  But  unless  one 
has  most  exceptional  gifts,  a  position  can  hardly  be 
obtained  without  at  least  a  high  school  education,  and  a 
college  diploma  will  be  a  great  additional  help.  Since 
so  many  of  the  colleges  are  opening  schools  of  journal- 
ism, most  of  the  papers  prefer  to  have  graduates  of 
these  colleges.  A  course  in  journalism  is  of  the  same 
length  as  the  usual  college  course — four  years. 

Positions  open  to  women  are  comparatively  few. 
Editors  say  that  any  woman  is  out  of  place  as  a  general 
reporter  in  a  newspaper  office  unless  she  can  be  sent 
haphazard  on  any  assignment,  as  can  men.  Few  women 
care  for  or  are  qualified  to  do  such  work.  The  positions 
which  are  open  to  women  are,  mainly,  those  in  women's 
departments — society,  fashion  or  club  reporters. 

It  is  rather  difficult  to  obtain  a  position  and,  for  the 
ordinary  applicant,  there  is  practically  only  one  way  to 
break  into  the  game.  All  papers  buy  accurate  articles 


THE  NEWSPAPER  WOMAN  135 

about  some  interesting  happening,  personage,  or  place, 
of  timely  or  of  general  interest.  Should  the  girl  be  in 
a  position  to  write  such  an  article,  (if  it  is  illustrated 
with  photographs,  all  the  better)  she  should  take  or  send 
it  to  the  newspapers  to  which  she  thinks  it  best  adapted 
and  try  to  sell  it.  She  will  probably  be  forced  to  try 
many  times  before  she  succeeds  but  her  second  article 
will  sell  better  than  the  first,  and  if  her  material  is 
really  distinctive,  she  may  in  time  work  into  the  coveted 
job.  This  corresponding  with  a  number  of  newspapers 
is  called  "  free  lance  "  work.  It  is  paid  for  by  space, 
and  the  metropolitan  newspapers  pay  an  average  of  five 
or  seven  dollars  a  column.  Some  writers  are  so  success- 
ful at  "  free  lancing  "  that  they  continue  at  it  and  thus 
break  into  the  magazine  field  instead  of  the  purely 
journalistic  one. 

Since  editors  prefer  men  to  women  on  their  staff, 
papers  pay  women  less  than  men.  Eeporters  start  at 
$18  or  $23  a  week  with  incidental  expenses  paid,  such 
as  carfare  and  telephone  charges.  Women  seldom  re- 
ceive more  than  $25  or  $30,  except  society  or 
woman's  page  editors  who  receive  $50,  sometimes 
more.  It  takes  years  of  experience  to  secure  one  of 
these  positions.  The  system  of  space  rates  mentioned 
before,  is  perhaps  most  advantageous  to  women,  for, 
while  it  has  certain  drawbacks,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
same  rates  are  paid  to  men  and  women.  Some  women 
become  special  writers  and  if  their  "  stuff  "  is  unusual 
and  is  popular  they  write  a  certain  article  daily,  being 


136          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

paid  in  accordance  with  its  worth  and  the  value  of  their 
own  name. 

The  hours  of  newspaper  work  are  long,  hard  and  ir- 
regular. That  is  one  of  the  principal  reasons  why 
women  are  not  so  well  suited  to  the  work.  The  editors 
realize  that,  while  they  may  send  a  man  out  on  any  sort 
of  a  case  at  any  time,  it  would  usually  be  impractical  to 
send  a  woman  out  on  a  murder  case  at  one  o'clock  on  a 
winter  night. 

A  position  with  a  newspaper  syndicate  is  a  lucrative 
one  but  hard  to  get.  There  exist,  throughout  the  coun- 
try, great  newspaper  syndicates  which  contract  with 
men  and  women  for  so  much  work  a  week,  and  then 
supply  the  material  to  dozens  of  papers  from  east  to 
west.  Women  are  particularly  in  demand  for  writing 
household  hints,  beauty  articles,  verse,  and  fashion 
notes. 

Perhaps  the  newspaper  field  offers  most  opportunities 
for  the  small-town  girl  who  knows  practically  every  one 
in  her  town.  Thus  a  girl  with  "  news  instinct "  might 
run  the  society  column,  edit  a  woman's  page,  or*write 
-  "  sob  stuff,"  the  trade  term  for  injecting  the  senti- 
mental, the  "  human  interest,"  into  the  news  of  the  day. 
Possibly,  if  her  town  paper  is  a  small  one,  she  might 
be  compelled  to  take  over  all  three  of  these  duties. 
However,  the  work  would  not  be  as  pressing  as  in  the 
city,  and  it  would  certainly  be  just  as  interesting.  The 
girl  herself  would  be  of  far  more  importance  in  molding 
public  opinion.  From  there,  if  she  wasn't  contented,  she 


THE  WRITER  137 

could  work  into  a  metropolitan  daily ;  but  for  the  slight 
increase  in  salary,  the  extra  pressure  is  so  great  that 
she  would  be  better  off  at  home. 

There  is  a  fascination  in  the  newspaper  game.  We  all 
admit  it.  Yet  considering  the  work  from  every  angle, 
it  does  not  seem  particularly  desirable  for  women.  The 
wear-and-tear,  the  nervous  strain,  are  very  great;  the 
rewards  are  precarious  and  small.  And  it  is  not  denied 
that  women,  except  the  unusually  gifted  ones,  are  not 
wanted  in  newspaper  offices.  Therefore,  to  preserve  her 
footing,  the  newspaper  woman  must  show  that  she  can 
do  reporting  as  well,  if  not  better,  than  the  men  with 
whom  she  must  compete. 

THE  WRITER 

Somebody  once  said  that  school  teachers  are  born  not 
made.  If  that  be  true,  the  statement  can  also  be  said  a 
thousandfold  more  truthfully  of  writers.  Writers  ARE 
born  and  not  made. 

The  ability  to  write  seems  almost  like  a  Heaven- 
given  gift,  just  as  a  beautiful  voice  is  a  gift.  The  per- 
son endowed  with  the  ability  to  write  must  develop  that 
power  to  the  greatest  extent,  just  as  a  person  possessing 
a  voice  must  work  over  it,  train  it,  and  then  give  the 
full  beauty  of  it  to  a  listening  public. 

There  has  been  so  much  said  on  this  subject — whether 
or  not  a  person  not  really  endowed  with  ability  to  write 
can  be  taught  to  write — to  write  fiction,  drama  or  po- 
etry, that  it  will  merely  raise  another  discussion  to 


138          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

dwell  on  the  subject  at  any  great  length  here.  How- 
ever, after  having  questioned  a  number  of  writers  and 
having  received  the  same  reply  from  all,  it  seems  as  if 
we  can  safely  assume  the  truth  of  the  original  statement 
made  above  that  writers  are  born,  not  made;  that  the 
ability  to  write  cannot  be  drilled  into  a  man  or  woman, 
as  can  a  language,  history  or  mathematics. 

When  a  person  wishes  to  write,  nothing  in  this  world 
or  any  other  will  keep  that  person  from  writing.  Un- 
less she  feels  such  an  impulse  to  expression,  a  girl 
should  not  decide  on  writing  as  a  profession.  The  road 
to  success  is  too  long  and  weary  a  one,  the  returns  for 
many  years  too  small,  and  even  when  success  is  at- 
tained, the  question  of  how  long  her  work  will  be  in 
vogue  is  an  ever-present  problem. 

Writing  is  a  game,  the  game  of  being  able  to  furnish 
the  publishers  with  the  kind  of  material  which  they 
want.  Every  one  who  has  ever  started  to  write  has 
been  determined  that  he  would  write  what  he  wished 
to  write,  and  educate  the  public  up  to  his  standard. 
But  the  public  does  not  wish  to  be  educated;  it  wishes 
to  be  amused.  If  a  girl  intends  to  make  her  living 
by  writing  it  is  her  business  to  write  the  kind  of  stuff 
that  the  reading  public  demands.  Ideals  are  very  won- 
derful and  as  far  as  possible  every  one  ought  to  cling 
to  them,  but  ideals  will  never  pay  rent,  buy  food,  clothes 
and  the  necessities  of  life. 

Yet  there  are  many  men  and  women  who  make  their 
living  by  writing.  One  well-known  and  widely  read 


THE  WRITER  139 

author  last  year  drew  $15,000  from  one  magazine,  and 
an  equal  amount  from  the  royalties  on  his  books.  He 
is  one  out  of  many.  We  all  laugh  at  this  picture  of  the 
young  author  starving  in  his  cold  attic,  while  manu- 
script after  manuscript  is  returned  to  him,  but  we  do 
not  realize  the  tragedy  back  of  the  picture.  However, 
there  are  fewer  and  fewer  starving  authors  these  days, 
for  men  and  women  who  possess  ability  to  write  either 
write  the  sort  of  stories  which  do  sell,  or  if  they  cannot 
sell  enough  to  earn  a  living  wage,  they  take  a  job  at 
something  else,  leaving  the  writing  game  to  be  a  side 
issue  until  they  become  established. 

Writing,  then,  is  not  a  profession  which  can  be 
taught,  but  a  gift  which  can  be  developed.  The  ability 
to  write  salable  stuff  depends  upon  the  author's  im- 
agination, and  unless  a  girl  possesses  imagination,  she 
can  never  be  a  writer  no  matter  how  many  courses  she 
may  take  or  how  many  years  she  may  spend  in  trying. 

The  girl  who  intends  to  make  writing  her  life  work, 
and  earn  her  living  by  the  use  of  her  imagination  and 
brain,  ought  to  start  out  early  in  life  to  acquire  as 
much  varied  information  as  she  can.  She  has  to  be 
constantly  alert,  eyes  and  ears  open.  In  almost  every 
sentence  she  hears,  in  every  situation,  and  in  many  a 
chance  glance,  a  story  will  be  suggested  to  her.  She 
should  make  English  her  principal  study,  read  the  great 
short-story  writers,  read  plays,  become  acquainted  with 
the  magazines  and  the  class  of  material  they  desire,  and 
then  begin  to  write,  and  write  and  write. 


140          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

Writing  constantly  is  the  only  way  by  which  any 
one  will  ever  reach  success.  To  the  girl  who  would 
earn  her  living  by  her  pen,  this  advice  is  offered. 
Write,  write,  write  and  tear  the  work  up  as  quickly  as 
you  write  it,  if  it  does  not  seem  perfect.  Better  still, 
return  to  your  manuscript  after  a  few  days  and  reread 
your  work  with  a  view  to  correction.  This  is  the  only 
way  to  acquire  ease  of  style,  fluency  of  language,  and 
the  ability  to  say  the  right  thing  in  the  right  place. 

After  a  girl  has  a  story  synopsis  with  which  she  is 
satisfied  or  perhaps  a  manuscript  of  some  sort,  let  her 
take  it  to  some  one  who  is  really  able  to  criticize  it  for 
her.  It  may  be  a  writer,  an  editor,  or  an  author's  agent, 
but  let  her  go  to  some  one  who  knows.  She  may  have  to 
pay  for  it  and  she  may  not.  If  she  has  submitted  her 
work  to  an  editor  and  has  received  a  personal  letter  in 
reply  instead  of  one  of  those  nasty  rejection  slips  which 
are  the  bane  of  all  writers,  then  let  her  ask  him  for  an 
interview.  Editors  are  very  human;  they  are  always 
willing  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  the  man  or  woman 
who  is  in  earnest,  and  you  will  learn  more  from  one 
criticism  by  a  person  who  knows  the  game  than  you  will 
from  six  months  in  any  short-story  course,  no  matter 
how  fine  it  may  be. 

One  woman  writer,  who  has  served  many  years  on 
all  the  big  newspapers  the  country  over,  who  has  several 
novels  to  her  credit  and  who  has  even  tried  her  hand  in 
the  motion  picture  field,  says  of  writing :  "  It  is  the  little 
things  that  count,  the  aptitude  of  one  word,  the  descrip- 


THE  WRITER  141 

tion  of  a  tiny  action,  the  ability  to  know  what  to  say 
and  how  to  say  it.  On  these  hinge  success,  and  on 
nothing  else." 

There  are  many  schools  throughout  the  country  where 
short-story,  dramatic  and  photoplay  courses  are  offered. 
We  shall  not  say  anything  derogatory  of  these  courses. 
They  nearly  all  are  excellent,  and  serve  their  purpose. 
But  unless  a  girl  entering  one  of  them  has  the  story 
mind,  imagination  and  the  innate  knowledge  that  noth- 
ing but  writing  will  satisfy  her,  there  is  not  a  course 
in  the  world  which  can  teach  her  to  write. 

As  any  college  will  supply  information  concerning 
these  courses,  there  is  no  need  of  going  into  detail  here. 
A  girl  who  plans  to  go  to  college,  and  then  to  make  writ- 
ing her  life  work,  will  naturally  cram  as  much  English 
as  possible  into  her  course.  But  if  she  possesses  a  def- 
inite style,  she  shouldn't  let  any  one  change  that  style, 
deform  it  by  hard  and  rigid  rules  of  form,  set  expres- 
sions and  technique.  Style  is  the  one  thing  that  is  in- 
dividual to  a  writer.  If  she  lose  that  individuality, 
her  career  is  lost. 

There  are  many  divisions  of  writing — journalism, 
press  work,  advertising  (which  we  have  treated  in  pre- 
vious sections)  the  writing  of  short  stories,  novels,  plays, 
sketches,  articles,  essays,  poetry  and  last  but  not  least 
the  newest  division  of  the  profession,  the  scenario. 

Short  stories  are  the  first  type  which  the  budding 
author  usually  attempts.  Most  short-story  writers  are 
recruited  from  the  newspaper  field,  but  many  start  on 


142          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

short-story  work  without  any  newspaper  training. 
Newspaper  work  is  a  great  asset,  a  splendid  stepping 
stone  to  fiction,  but  in  the  transition  the  reporter  must 
learn  to  drop  his  abrupt,  terse  style,  and  acquire  an 
easy,  rolling,  more  definite  one. 

Short  stories,  and  in  fact  all  stories,  have  an  annoying 
habit  of  returning,  not  once  but  many  times  before  the 
story  is  accepted.  Some  stories  written  by  well-known 
writers  have  not  sold  until  their  twentieth  trip.  To 
stick  at  the  game  and  persevere  thus  requires  a  vast 
amount  of  courage.  Sticktoativeness  is  the  word  which 
best  expresses  it.  And  then,  too,  the  remuneration  is 
not  very  large.  True,  some  writers  have  been  known  to 
receive  $1000  for  a  short  story  but  many  more  have 
received  $5,  although  the  latter  must  not  be  regarded 
as  an  average  price. 

Different  magazines  pay  differently,  some  so  much 
per  word,  (running  from  %  cent  to  5  or  10  cents  a 
word)  some  pay  by  the  complete  worth,  considering  the 
value  of  the  author's  name,  etc.,  and  others  pay  by  the 
page.  However,  the  per  word  basis  is  the  one  which 
is  almost  universally  used. 

One  author  said  "  You  cannot  support  yourself  on 
short  stories  alone."  In  this  he  is  correct.  Novelettes 
(from  15,000  to  25,000  or  30,000  words)  and  novels 
are  the  chief  means  of  an  author's  support. 

Novels  are  the  most  remunerative  in  the  long  run  al- 
though they,  of  course,  take  a  far  longer  time  to  write. 
A  novel  can  be  sold  five  times  in  this  country,  ex- 


THE  WRITER  143 

elusive  of  foreign  rights.  In  selling  a  novel  to  a 
magazine,  the  wise  author  sells  the  first  serial  rights 
only.  For  this  he  may  receive  anywhere  from  $500 
to  $5000  and  sometimes  even  more  according  to  his 
name  and  fame.  The  novel  may  run  either  as  a  com- 
plete story  in  one  issue  of  the  publication  or  it  may  be 
a  "  Continued  in  Our  Next  "  story. 

Then  the  writer  sells  the  novel  rights  to  a  publishing 
company,  and  the  story  is  brought  out  in  book  form. 
For  this  the  usual  rate  is  $250  thirty  days  after  publica- 
tion, and  then  three  months  later  a  ten  per  cent  royalty 
on  the  sales  of  the  book,  which  is  paid  twice  a  year 
thereafter.  The  average  selling  life  of  a  book  is  a  year, 
possibly  two  or  three  for  a  big  seller.  Then  it  is  usually 
brought  out  in  a  cheaper  edition — fifty  cents  a  copy. 
On  each  and  every  copy  of  the  popular  edition  sold 
the  author  receives  five  cents  and  the  publisher  two 
cents.  Often  the  author  receives  many  more  dollars 
on  the  cheaper  edition  than  on  the  expensive  one. 

After  the  novel  rights  come  the  dramatic  rights. 
Many  books  are  dramatized.  Arrangements  are  either 
made  through  the  producing  company  for  the  dramatiza- 
tion of  the  book,  or  the  author  does  it  himself.  The 
amount  of  remuneration  depends  entirely  on  the  suc- 
cess of  the  play,  for  few  dramatic  rights  are  sold  out- 
right. 

After  the  dramatic  rights,  the  newspaper  rights  are  in 
order,  a  certain  length  of  time  after  the  publication  of 
the  novel.  Many  newspapers  publish  a  syndicated 


144.          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

story  which  has  made  a  success  in  book  form.  The 
amount  received  for  this  varies  so  that  no  set  amount 
can  he  stated. 

Then  last  of  all  come  the  motion  picture  rights.  The 
film  rights  of  a  hook  may  sell  from  $500  to  almost  any 
amount.  Last  year  sums  as  high  as  $15,000  were  paid 
to  popular  authors  of  best  sellers. 

Thus  the  short  story  and  the  novel  are  disposed  of. 
Sketches  and  plays  are  next  to  be  considered.  Sketches 
for  the  vaudeville  stage  are  in  constant  demand  but 
they  require  a  peculiarly  trained  mind  to  write  them. 
The  vaudeville  sketch  is  really  a  whole  play  condensed 
into  twenty  minutes,  in  which  the  interest  of  the  audi- 
ence must  be  aroused  at  the  rise  of  the  curtain  and  held 
till  it  drops.  Vaudeville  sketches  draw  an  amount 
weekly  while  the  act  is  working — from  fifteen  to  fifty 
dollars,  according  to  the  class  of  the  act  and  the  amount 
paid  to  the  actors.  After  their  usefulness  for  the 
public  stage  has  waned,  vaudeville  sketches  may  some- 
times be  sold  to  a  publisher  of  amateur  plays  for  a 
lump  sum. 

The  play,  drama  or  comedy,  is  a  more  complicated 
piece  of  work  which  often  takes  the  playwright  years 
to  write.  Besides  the  ability  to  write  the  playwright 
has  to  have  a  dramatic  sense  and  know  stage  values. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem  actors  or  actresses  seldom 
seem  to  be  able  to  write  a  play.  They  may  know  how 
it  ought  to  go  but  few  of  them  seem  to  possess  the 
ability  to  write  one.  Playwriting  is  perhaps  the  most 


THE  WRITER  145 

precarious  branch  of  the  whole  writing  field,  and  yet 
if  a  playwright  puts  over  one  big  success  he  may  be 
wealthy  for  life.  Even  when  a  play  is  accepted  and 
produced,  th>  question  of  its  success  still  hangs  in  the 
balance.  For  no  one,  not  even  Mr.  Belasco,  the  master 
of  the  stage,  can  tell  whether  the  public  is  going  to 
like  a  play  or  not,  and  no  matter  how  great  a  play  it  may 
be,  unless  the  public  want  it  and  go  to  see  it,  the  play 
is  considered  a  failure.  And  the  public  is  fickle.  Play- 
writing  is  a  branch  of  the  writing  game  to  be  aimed  at ; 
played  up  to,  and  approached  timidly  until  one  is  sure 
of  sufficient  revenue  from  other  fields  to  devote  all  her 
time  to  playwriting.  Some  of  our  most  successful  play- 
wrights are  women — Rachel  Crothers  who  wrote  "  Old 
Lady  Thirty-One,"  "  The  Three  of  Us  "  and  whose  suc- 
cess this  year  is  "  The  Little  Journey ; "  Caroline 
Thompson,  who  lately  died,  wrote  "  Rebecca  of  Sunny- 
brook  Farm  " — and  many  others  can  be  named. 

A  playwright  usually  receives  a  certain  sum  down 
when  his  play  is  accepted,  the  sum  to  be  forfeited  by 
the  manager  if  the  play  is  not  produced  within  a  certain 
time,  and  the  rights  then  revert  back  to  the  playwright. 
When  the  play  is  produced  the  playwright  receives  5% 
of  the  gross  receipts  up  to  $5000  weekly;  7%  on  the 
next  two  thousand  and  ten  per  cent  on  all  over  $7000. 
Some  authors  get  from  $600  to  $1500  weekly  while 
their  plays  are  doing  big  business.  Thus  it  can  be  easily 
seen  that  if  a  playwright  writes  one  big  success  he  may 
make  a  fortune  on  it.  Then  after  its  usefulness  has 


146          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

departed  as  a  big  attraction,  he  can  always  dispose  of 
his  stock  rights  which  bring  in  from  $100  to  $200 
every  week  the  play  is  used.  Thus  for  many  years  he 
may  draw  money  from  one  successful  play. 

Special  articles  for  magazines  are  usually  written  by 
staff  people  trained  in  the  work  about  which  they  are 
writing.  It  is  wise  for  the  young  writer  who  desires  to 
sell  some  special  articles,  to  consult  the  editor  to  find 
out  whether  the  latter  is  interested  in  his  work.  For 
an  article  that  might  interest  one  magazine  might  not 
be  of  any  use  to  another. 

Each  century  produces  a  few  great  poets,  and  al- 
though we  are  living  in  a  practical  age,  poetry  still 
holds  its  own  and  poetry  is  more  in  demand  today  than 
it  has  been  for  some  years.  But  the  poet  of  today  can- 
not merely  write  of  babbling  brooks  and  sunny  glens. 
He  must  have  individual  style  and  say  something  that 
will  attract  the  public. 

Last  of  all  is  the  motion  picture  synopsis  and  sce- 
nario. Motion  picture  companies  are  demanding  today 
stories  which  have  action,  a  little  more  psychology  than 
ever  before,  characterization  and  plot.  They  want  a 
clear,  concisely  written  synopsis  of  about  three  thousand 
words  which  tell  the  story. 

The  scenario, — that  is,  the  division  of  the  synopsis 
into  scenes  from  which  the  picture  is  made — is  written 
by  men  and  women  specially  trained  for  the  work. 
Women  are  as  successful,  perhaps  more  so,  in  this  line 
than  men.  The  average  price  for  an  original  motion 


THE  WRITER  147 

picture  synopsis  is  from  $500  to  $1500,  but  the  price 
may  be  higher  or  lower  according  to  the  company  and 
the  value  of  the  author's  name.  Comedies  run  about 
$50  a  reel.  Although  they  are  in  great  demand,  they 
are  difficult  to  write  because  they  must  definitely  suit 
a  certain  comedian  being  featured  by  a  special  company. 
Hence,  the  market  is  very  limited. 

Continuity  writers  or  those  who  divide  the  story  into 
the  scenes  (continuity  and  scenario  being  different 
names  for  the  same  thing)  are  specially  well  paid. 
Some  work  on  the  staff  and  are  paid  weekly  salaries 
from  $100  to  $250  weekly,  while  those  who  "  free 
lance,"  as  it  is  called,  receive  from  $500  to  $750  for 
each  continuity  they  write. 

The  way  to  get  into  motion  picture  scenario  work 
is  to  obtain  a  staff  job  as  reader,  that  is,  picking  out 
the  stories  which  lend  themselves  to  the  screen.  Salaries 
are  from  $25  to  $50  weekly. 

The  average  editor  is  always  willing  and  anxious 
to  aid  the  aspiring  writer,  and  if  at  times  he  seems 
gruff  and  cross,  we  should  remember  that  he  has  worries 
like  ourselves.  It  is  not  prejudice  which  prohibits 
him  from  buying  your  story — but  perhaps  the  policy 
of  the  publishing  house,  excess  of  material  already  on 
hand,  and  a  hundred  other  reasons  he  cannot  explain 
to  each  writer. 

If  a  girl  really  feels  she  is  a  writer,  she  needs  a 
large  stock  of  patience.  If  stories  come  back,  they  must 
be  sent  out  again.  If  she  gets  discouraged,  it  may  be 


148          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

a  warning  that  she  is  not  cut  out  for  a  successful  writer. 
O.  Henry,  that  master  of  the  short  story,  tried  to  sell 
his  hrain  children  for  thirteen  years  before  he  succeeded 
in  selling  any.  But  he  knew  that  he  could  write  and 
was  determined  that  he  would  write. 

There  has  heen  much  said  and  written  ahout  methods 
of  submitting  manuscript  to  editors.  Manuscript  should 
always  be  folded,  not  rolled ;  a  short  note  inclosed  if 
any  at  all;  and  a  stamped  self-addressed  envelope  in- 
closed for  return  if  the  story  is  not  desired.  This  holds 
good  in  regard  to  all  manuscripts.  Editors  are  busy 
people,  and  ought  not  to  be  disturbed. 

In  many  cases  a  writer's  personality  will  help  greatly 
in  selling  a  story.  One  writer  who  has  been  fairly 
successful  within  the  past  few  years  says  that  selling 
a  story  depends  forty  per  cent  upon  the  story  itself,  and 
sixty  per  cent  on  personality  plus  salesmanship.  So  if 
the  writer  cannot  meet  people  easily,  talk  without  stam- 
mering and  blushing,  it  is  safer  for  her  to  submit  her 
material  by  mail.  A  personal  interview  may  kill  a 
thing  just  as  quickly  as  it  may  bring  success. 

There  are  many  disappointments  in  the  path  to  fame ! 
The  young  writer  may  never  reach  higher  than  the  first 
rung  of  the  ladder  of  success,  but  when  a  story  does 
land,  and  the  precious  check  finds  its  way  home  to  her, 
there  will  be  a  flutter  around  her  heart,  a  sob  in  her 
throat,  and  a  pride  in  her  bearing  which  almost  nothing 
else  on  this  earth  can  produce. 

An  actress  who  is  now  famous  both  on  the  stage  and 


THE  TEACHER  149 

screen  was  very  unsuccessful  when  she  first  came  to  this 
country.  In  fact  every  play  she  was  starred  in,  failed, 
but  she  was  determined  to  succeed.  One  day  a  friend 
speaking  of  her  new  production,  ventured  to  wish  that 
it  would  be  a  success.  "  Success,"  she  smiled,  "  I  am 
a  pill  the  American  public  has  not  decided  to  take,  but 
they  shall  swallow  me  no  matter  how  long  it  may  take." 
If  a  writer  has  the  goods  to  deliver,  she  will  even- 
tually sell  it,  even  though  her  commodity  is  a  harder 
article  to  put  across  than  the  average  article  hawked 
about  today.  Very  many  people  try  to  write  and  many 
fail.  Some  one  once  said  that  every  person  has  at  least 
one  story  in  his  system.  If  a  girl  has  only  one,  she 
will  never  become  rich  or  famous,  but  if  she  sticks,  if 
something  tells  her  to  keep  at  it  in  spite  of  disappoint- 
ments, then  all  that  can  be  said  to  her  is  "  GOOD 
LUCK,  and  may  your  perseverance  bring  forth  fruit." 

THE    TEACHER 

Until  recent  years  teaching  was  the  chief  profession 
other  than  that  of  home  maker  open  to  wromen.  In  a 
recent  Regents'  examination  a  high  school  girl  answer- 
ing a  letter  to  an  uncle  who  had  inquired  about  her 
choice  of  a  profession  said  that  she  wished  to  be  a 
teacher.  She  assigned  as  reasons  that  the  work  was 
not  very  hard,  the  hours  were  short,  the  pay  good,  the 
vacations  long  and  the  profession  was  a  genteel  one  in 
which  the  social  status  of  the  woman  worker  was  high. 


150          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

The  average  person  will  at  first  be  inclined  to  nod 
his  head  approvingly  in  agreement  with  this  estimate  of 
teaching  as  a  profession.  The  social  status  of  the 
teacher  as  a  professional  worker  is  certainly  high.  She 
has  the  respect  of  the  community  in  which  she  works, 
and  the  field  is  one  in  which  employment  is  not  difficult 
to  obtain  for  one  qualified  to  do  the  work.  The  most 
conservative  of  families  agree  that  next  to  motherhood 
itself  teaching  is  an  ideal  profession.  It  is  for  this 
reason  perhaps,  that  we  find  numerous  families  who 
would  have  their  daughters  become  teachers  regardless 
of  other  considerations. 

Not  all  young  women,  however,  are  qualified  to  be- 
come teachers.  Love  of  children, — of  growing,  trouble- 
some, even  apparently  dirty  girls  and  boys — is  the  first 
quality  with  which  she  who  would  follow  this  truly  noble 
profession  must  come  armed.  Closely  allied  to  this,  in 
fact  wrapped  up  with  it,  is  patience  and  sympathetic 
understanding  of  the  way  in  which  the  minds  of  children 
work.  A  quick  insight  into  the  causes  of  that  which  we 
commonly  misname  disorder  in  the  class  room,  patient 
ability  to  attend  to  a  thousand  small  details  that  most 
pupils  never  dream  go  into  the  making  of  a  successful 
teacher,  a  broad  outlook  on,  life  and  the  ability  to  live 
in  a  double  world  as  it  were,  the  world  of  childhood  in 
school,  and  a  vital  world  of  womanhood  in  the  outside 
world — all  this  should  be  the  equipment  of  every  girl 
who  wishes  to  teach.  A  large  and  super-human  require- 
ment we  may  well  say,  yet  I  am  sure  we'll  all  agree  that 


THE  TEACHER  151 

the  most  successful  teachers  are  those  who  have  been  able 
to  measure  up  to  the  greater  part  of  it. 

Even  when  equipped  with  these  qualities  of  character, 
a  girl  is  by  no  means  ready  for  this  profession.  A 
certain  amount  of  academic  training  is  necessary  for  a 
successful  teacher.  This  varies  in  various  districts  of 
the  country  and  in  different  cities.  Practically  all 
school  boards  demand  a  high  school  education  plus 
special  training  in  teaching  methods,  which  can  be 
obtained  in  a  normal  school  or  in  a  Training  School 
for  Teachers,  as  it  is  called  in  New  York  City.  For 
teaching  in  the  country  frequently  one  year's  training 
after  high  school  graduation  and  the  successful  comple- 
tion of  the  state  examinations  are  all  that  is  necessary 
as  requirements  for  the  elementary  schools.  In  New 
York  City,  special  training  of  two  years'  time  is  re- 
quired, six  months  of  which  is  given  over  to  practice 
teaching  in  a  school.  Tuition  for  this  special  training 
is  free  in  most  schools.  This  is  one  of  the  two  courses 
open  on  graduation  from  high  school  to  the  girl  who 
would  be  a  teacher.  The  other  is  to  pursue  the  usual 
college  course  for  a  B.A.  degree,  electing  methods  of 
teaching  as  one  of  the  subjects  of  her  college  course. 
The  latter,  of  course,  opens  for  a  girl  possibilities 
of  rising  in  her  profession  which  the  former  does 
not. 

Formal  school  training  is  after  all  but  the  smallest 
consideration  in  the  training  of  a  successful  teacher. 
More  important  by  far  is  the  training  the  girl  will  give 


152          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

herself  to  fit  herself  into  the  place  she  must  occupy 
in  the  community.  She  must  be  familiar  with  the 
industries,  population  and  social  organization  of  the 
place  where  she  is  to  teach  in  order  to  train  her  pupils 
not  in  a  narrow  bookish  sense,  but  in  a  way  that  will 
make  them  see  the  relation  of  the  subjects  she  teaches 
to  the  life  about  them. 

The  girl  who  has  unusual  love  for  children  under 
seven  or  eight  will  generally  make  a  successful  kinder- 
gartner.  The  training  for  this  course  involves  a  two 
years'  course  following  high  school  graduation.  In  ad- 
dition to  knowledge  of  the  science  of  education  a  kinder- 
gartner  should  be  able  to  play  simple  songs  and  dances 
on  the  piano  and  to  draw  on  the  blackboard.  Only  a 
girl  with  an  exceedingly  strong  love  for  little  children 
should  become  a  kindergartner,  as  a  lifetime  given  over 
to  work  among  infants  alone  is  apt  to  make  a  girl  narrow. 
To  girls  living  in  New  York  City,  there  is  one  serious 
drawback  to  kindergarten  work.  The  chances  of  secur- 
ing permanent  employment  are  few  since  the  Board  of 
Education  has  at  present  a  long  eligible  list  of  unap- 
pointed  kindergartners,  and  since  there  are  relatively 
few  vacancies  in  private  schools.  If  a  girl  has  money 
at  her  disposal,  time  to  wait  for  financial  returns,  and 
a  large  clientele  of  people  who  would  pay  to  send  their 
children  to  a  good  kindergarten,  she  might  make  a  suc- 
cess of  running  a  private  kindergarten. 

The  girl  who  desires  to  teach  in  high  school  needs  a 
different  type  of  training  in  order  to  meet  the  different 


THE  TEACHER  153 

problem  involved.  A  thorough  college  education  with 
specialization  in  her  chosen  field  and  a  broad  knowledge 
of  all  subjects  allied  to  it  should  be  her  stock  in  book 
learning.  Firmness  of  character,  coupled  with  a  sym- 
pathetic yet  not  over-sentimental  understanding  of  the 
peculiar  physical  and  moral  needs  of  girls  and  boys 
between  the  ages  of  thirteen  and  nineteen,  should  be 
added  to  a  thorough  academic  training.  Time  and 
willingness  for  post-graduate  work  are  essential,  for 
every  high  school  teacher  soon  realizes  that  in  teaching 
she  consumes  an  enormous  amount  of  reserve  informa- 
tion which  has  to  be  replenished  frequently  as  the 
terms  go  by.  A  true  high  school  teacher  must  throw 
herself  into  the  secondary  activities  of  the  school  even 
more  than  an  elementary  school  teacher, — into  the  play 
to  be  given,  the  athletics  to  be  organized,  the  literary  or 
current  events  club  to  be  assisted,  and  the  thousand 
and  one  other  self-governing  and  socializing  activities 
of  a  modern  high  school.  Besides,  due  allowance 
must  be  made  for  the  time  needed  to  correct  papers. 
(Now  we  have  an  effective  answer  to  the  girl  who 
would  choose  teaching  because  the  hours  were 
short.) 

The  requirements  and  methods  of  obtaining  positions 
in  high  schools  vary  in  different  localities.  Some  cities 
give  examinations  to  those  applicants  who  fulfil  the 
necessary  requirements.  Others  select  teachers  through 
interviews  with  the  members  of  the  school  board  or 
board  of  trustees.  Private  high  schools  generally  re- 


154          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

quire  personal  interviews  with  prospective  candidates 
for  vacancies. 

Teaching  in  college,  of  course,  presupposes  a  college 
education  at  least,  and  generally  graduate  work  in  the 
chosen  field.  Hours  of  actual  teaching  are  shorter  than 
in  the  case  of  high  school  work  (fifteen  periods  per 
week  being  a  fair  average)  but  a  great  deal  of  time 
must  be  consumed  in  reference  reading  for  the  prepara- 
tion and  planning  of  work.  As  the  students  are  older, 
the  difficult  nerve-wearing  problem  of  discipline  is  lack- 
ing. However,  salaries  are  as  a  rule  somewhat  lower 
than  those  of  high  school  positions  in  the  big  cities.  In 
many  cities,  if  there  is  a  question  of  choosing  between  a 
man  or  a  woman  for  a  given  position,  the  man  will  still 
be  given  the  preference  for  college  teaching.  An  in- 
structor may  sometimes  rise  to  a  professorship  if  she 
distinguishes  herself  for  some  scholarly  piece  of  re- 
search. As  conditions  vary  in  different  colleges  no  defi- 
nite statement  in  regard  to  salaries  or  conditions  of 
work  can  be  made.  Besides,  the  position  of  college  pro- 
fessor is  not  one  which  really  concerns  the  student  of 
the  jobs  a  girl  may  obtain ;  it  is  essentially  the  problem 
of  an  experienced  teacher. 

The  salaries  of  teachers  vary  with  the  locality  of  the 
school.  In  rural  districts  elementary  school  teachers  may 
receive  anywhere  from  $300  to  $700  for  a  school  year 
of  generally  nine  or  ten  months.  High  school  teachers 
in  similar  districts  receive  from  $400  to  $1000  a  year 
depending  upon  the  size  of  school,  the  grades  to  be 


THE  TEACHER  155 

taught,  the  responsibility  involved  and  the  amount  the 
community  can  afford  for  school  purposes.  In  many 
districts  no  provision  is  made  for  increase  in  salary  with 
years  of  service.  In  the  vast  majority  of  places,  a  few 
big  cities  excepted,  there  is  no  law  of  tenure  of  office, 
and  the  teacher  may  be  reappointed  or  dropped  at  the 
personal  wish  of  the  school  board  regardless  of  the 
quality  of  her  work. 

In  the  cities  salaries  are  much  higher,  but  due  allow- 
ance must  be  made  for  the  higher  cost  of  living  and  the 
heavier  demands  made  on  the  salary  of  a  teacher  in 
the  city.  In  New  York  City,  kindergartners  and  ele- 
mentary school  teachers  of  the  first  six  grades  of  schools 
begin  on  a  salary  of  $720,  increasing  gradually  to  a 
maximum  of  $1800,  a  portion  of  which  is  annually 
deducted  for  a  pension  fund.  After  passing  an  exam- 
ination to  teach  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  years  of  the 
elementary  schools,  the  salary  is  increased,  as  is  the 
case  with  assistants  to  principals.  In  high  schools 
salaries  run  from  $900  to  $2650,  the  maximum  being 
obtained  after  twelve  years  of  service.  Heads  of  de- 
partments receive  a  higher  salary.  In  the  other  large 
cities  of  the  country  the  salaries  are  approximately  those 
of  New  York  City.  In  the  case  of  private  schools, 
salaries  vary  to  such  an  extent  that  no  general  state- 
ment can  be  made  on  the  subject. 

In  nearly  all  cities  in  the  United  States  there  are 
groups  of  teachers  other  than  the  regular  grade  teachers 
of  high  and  elementary  schools.  With  the  increased 


156          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

knowledge  of  the  science  of  education  that  has  come 
of  recent  years,  the  need  for  a  corps  of."  special  "  teach- 
ers has  arisen.  These  include  teachers  of  drawing,  sew- 
ing, basketry  and  other  forms  of  manual  training,  as 
well  as  teachers  of  the  mentally  backward,  the  morally 
deficient,  the  blind,  the  deaf  and  those  with  slight  de- 
fects of  speech.  There  are  special  courses  for  those 
desiring  to  teach  any  of  these  given  at  Teachers'  College 
in  Columbia,  the  School  of  Pedagogy  of  New  York 
University,  the  School  for  the  Morally  Defective  in 
Vineland,  New  Jersey,  Hunter  College,  New  York  City 
— and  practically  at  any  college  that  has  a  complete 
course  in  pedagogy.  Salaries  of  these  "  special  "  teach- 
ers are  slightly  higher  than  those  of  grade  teachers  in 
the  elementary  schools. 

Closely  allied  with  the  work  of  special  teachers  of 
physical  training  and  of  social  work  is  that  of  the  play- 
ground-teacher in  a  school  or  park.  Where  there  is  only 
one  teacher,  her  work  is  a  combination  of  the  jobs  of 
kindergartner,  dancing  teacher,  physical  training  teacher 
and  supervisor  of  clubs  and  games.  Where  more  than 
one  teacher  is  employed  the  work  is  divided  into  boys' 
playground,  girls'  playground  and  kindergarten  work, 
three  teachers  frequently  being  in  charge  of  the  work. 
Such  playgrounds  in  large  cities  are  run  in  congested 
districts  from  three  to  six  o'clock  during  the  school 
season,  and  all  morning  and  afternoon  during  the  sum- 
mer months.  The  work  is  either  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Department  of  Education,  or  civil  service  work 


THE  TEACHER  157 

under  the  auspices  of  the  Department  of  Parks.    Pay- 
ment is  generally  for  services  by  the  day. 

Teaching  in  the  city  possesses  certain  advantages  over 
similar  work  in  the  country.  The  salary  seems  to  be 
higher,  life  in  the  city  affords  broader  opportunites  for 
study  and  for  human  intercourse,  the  position  is  prac- 
tically permanent  during  satisfactory  service  and  proper 
conduct,  and  in  many  cases  offers  chances  of  advance- 
ment. There  are,  however,  disadvantages  that  offset 
these.  Classes  in  city  schools  are  large,  certainly  larger 
than  any  one  teacher  should  handle  alone.  Then,  too, 
they  contain  a  very  large  proportion  of  foreigners  for 
whom  the  language  is  a  serious  problem.  The  curric- 
ulum is  packed  to  bursting  with  numerous  subjects. 
There  are  constant  demands  made  on  time  and  energy. 
For  all  these  causes,  the  city  teacher's  life  constantly 
has  a  great  pressure  placed  upon  it  and  it  is  only  she 
who  has  unusually  robust  health  who  doesn't  soon  begin 
to  feel  the  nervous  strain  of  the  profession. 

Even  when  the  disadvantages  are  all  told,  teaching 
remains  one  of  the  truly  ideal  professions  for  either  man 
or  woman.  The  girl  who  really  feels  the  call,  who  from 
infancy  has  felt  the  still  small  voice  within  grow  louder 
in  its  appeal  in  the  same  way  that  every  true  physician 
or  minister  has  felt  the  call,  should  choose  this  as  her 
profession.  Despite  the  arguments  of  opponents  who 
justly  claim  that  teaching  is  overcrowded  with  misfits, 
there  is  and  always  will  be  a  place  for  those  to  whom  it 
is  an  ideal,  a  calling.  Teaching  is  the  one  profession 


158          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

in  which  the  worker  lays  out  everything  in  return  for 
no  visible  reward.  Yet  to  every  real  teacher  happily 
doing  her  duty  and  trusting  that  she  is  helpful  to  instil 
some  permanent  good  into  the  lives  of  her  pupils,  each 
day  brings  its  own  reward.  It  is  true  that  the  pro- 
fession from  its  very  character  tends  to  get  the  teacher 
into  a  rut.  Yet,  every  teacher  born  with  the  instinct 
to  teach  will  discover  for  herself  the  particular  method 
of  counterbalancing  the  danger.  This,  of  course,  will 
have  to  be  a  gradual  work  carried  on  as  regularly  as 
teaching  itself,  for  "  eternal  vigilance  is  still  the  price 
of  liberty."  Under  the  best  of  circumstances,  the  long 
summer  vacation  is  a  practical  necessity  to  provide  ade- 
quate rest  after  the  strain  of  the  winter's  work.  With- 
out it  no  teacher  can  do  her  work  the  following  winter. 
!N"o  girl  should  ever  drift  into  teaching  by  the  negative 
process  of  elimination.  Teaching  is  hard  enough  when 
one  loves  it  and  is  born  to  the  work,  but  it  would  surely 
be  torture  to  one  who  merely  does  it  to  make  a  living. 
If  a  girl  tries  teaching,  thinking  it  to  be  her  life  work, 
only  to  find  herself  a  square  peg  in  a  round  hole,  the 
greatest  benefit  she  can  bestow  upon  both  herself  and 
the  community  is  to  give  up  teaching  as  soon  as  possible. 
To  the  girl  who  feels  that  she  must  teach,  the  work  will 
bring  compensations  far  outweighing  any  apparent  dis- 
advantages. 


THE  LIBRARIAN  159 

THE  LIBRARIAN 

Within  the  last  few  years,  the  increase  of  libraries 
in  the  United  States  has  called  for  more  and  more  girls 
as  librarians.  Without  giving  it  careful  consideration, 
many  girls  imagine  that  the  work  is  suitable  to  any 
one  who  is  a  book  lover.  But  the  prospective  librarian 
must  not  think  that  the  main  qualification  for  the  posi- 
tion is  a  desire  to  read.  Few  librarians  have  the  time 
to  read  the  latest  novels,  and  a  girl  with  that  idea  had 
better  stay  away  from  library  work. 

To  be  a  successful  librarian, — that  is,  to  reach  the 
higher  positions  where  the  salary  and  work  are  really 
worth  while, — a  girl  must  be  enthusiastic,  quick,  neat, 
accurate  and  understand  human  nature  as  well  as  books. 
In  fact,  the  understanding  of  people  is  more  necessary 
than  a  knowledge  of  books. 

When  we  go  to  the  library,  pass  our  book  over  the 
desk,  and  have  our  card  stamped  by  the  librarian,  the 
work  she  does  seems  simple  and  easy.  But  this  simple 
checking  of  books  is  the  least  part  of  the  real  job. 

There  are  cataloguing,  repairing  and  reference  de- 
partments in  public  libraries,  and  a  hundred  intricate 
little  matters  which  are  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
librarian  to  take  part  in,  which  one  seldom  considers 
when  borrowing  or  returning  a  book.  And  finally  and 
most  important  of  all,  there  is  the  help  that  must  be 
rendered  to  readers  looking  for  particular  books  or 
needing  advice  as  to  what  to  read. 


160          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

There  are  two  ways  to  prepare  for  library  work. 
One  is  to  take  a  course  at  a  recognized  library  school, 
and  the  other  is  to  begin  work  at  once  in  a  library  as 
a  probationer.  Of  course,  the  former  is  the  better 
method,  but  if  a  girl  hasn't  the  required  sum  to  pay 
for  tuition,  the  latter  way  is  often  just  as  satisfac- 
tory. 

Most  library  schools  demand  that  applicants  be  at 
least  eighteen  years  old  and  have  a  high  school  diploma 
together  with  a  knowledge  of  French  or  German  or 
both.  Some  schools  require  that  candidates  for  admis- 
sion have  a  year  or  more  of  college  education.  Ap- 
plicants are  only  admitted  after  successfully  passing  an 
examination  in  history,  current  events,  literature  and  a 
foreign  language.  The  courses  are  from  one  to  three 
years.  Most  library  schools  are  heavily  endowed  so  that 
the  cost  of  tuition  is  comparatively  small, — about  fifty 
dollars  a  year,  exclusive  of  supplies  (text  books  and 
periodicals)  which  cost  from  twenty  to  thirty  dollars. 

All  branches  of  library  work  are  taught,  including 
special  writing  used  in  library  work,  cataloguing,  classi- 
fication, binding,  indexing,  bibliography,  current  topics, 
etc.  When  a  girl  graduates,  she  must  keep  up  her 
study.  If  she  falls  behind  the  times,  she  will  not  suc- 
ceed. She  must  read  magazines,  newspapers  and  books 
of  research  and  invention  even  more  particularly  than 
fiction. 

A  probationer  enters  a  library  and  works  usually  for 
three  or  four  months  without  salary.  At  the  end  of  that 


THE  LIBRARIAN  161 

time,  if  her  work  has  been  satisfactory,  she  becomes 
a  substitute  or  may  be  appointed  as  a  librarian  at  $35 
or  $45  a  month.  After  two  years'  work,  these  librarians 
are  entitled  to  take  a  promotion  examination,  and  if 
successful  in  passing  it,  receive  a  salary  of  from  $50 
to  $60  a  month. 

In  the  public  libraries,  librarians  work  so  many  hours 
a  week,  having  certain  half  days  off  and  certain  evenings 
in  the  week  to  work.  The  various  branches  of  the  work 
are  divided,  and  a  girl  may  sometimes,  after  learning 
all  the  details  of  each  branch,  select  the  kind  of  work 
she  wants  to  do. 

In  public  libraries,  girls  with  a  love  for  children 
would  be  successful  in  a  children's  room.  Here  the 
librarian  aids  the  little  tots  in  selecting  books  suitable 
for  their  age,  helps  the  older  ones  in  finding  necessary 
data  for  school  work,  and  many  libraries  have  story- 
telling hours. 

The  salaries  of  the  heads  of  children's  departments 
are  $700  to  $1000  a  year,  while  their  assistants  receive 
about  $500  to  $800.  Head  circulation  librarians  re- 
ceive $900  to  $1500,  annually. 

In  the  adult  circulatory  department,  the  librarian 
must  be  a  veritable  fountain  of  knowledge.  All  manner 
of  questions  are  asked  of  her ;  her  assistance  is  required 
to  select  books,  to  hunt  up  characters  in  books;  the 
names  of  technical  books  as  well  as  novels,  she  must 
know.  People  don't  always  know  what  they  want,  and 
a  librarian  must  have  ingenuity  coupled  with  versatility, 


162          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

as  well  as  knowledge  of  human  nature,  to  know  what 
they  do  want.  All  types  of  people  are  met  in  the  course 
of  a  day's  work,  and  to  librarians  this  may  be  a  matter 
of  interest  and  education. 

Girls  to  whom  constant  contact  with  people  is  dis- 
tasteful, will  be  far  happier  in  the  cataloguing  room. 
The  strain  here,  however,  is  often  great.  If  any  of  the 
rooms  have  to  be  lighted  artificially,  they  are  usually 
those  where  cataloguing  is  done.  A  girl's  brain  is  kept 
constantly  on  the  alert.  It  is  the  cataloguer's  duty  to 
label  new  books  and  make  catalogue  cards.  Often  books 
come  under  several  different  classifications,  and  she 
must  know  just  where  to  catalogue  them  by  merely 
glancing  over  the  book.  She  must  be  fully  acquainted 
with  authors'  names,  so  as  to  be  able  to  supply  initials, 
etc.,  when  they  are  missing.  Much  of  the  system  of  a 
library  depends  on  the  cataloguer,  and  her  position  is 
most  important.  The  chief  of  the  cataloguing  room 
will  receive  $1000  to  $2000  annually,  while  her  assist- 
ants start  at  $600  and  rarely  exceed  $120'0. 

An  ambitious  girl  may  aim  to  work  her  way  to  a 
position  in  the  Congressional  Library  at  Washington, 
where  the  salaries  range  from  $1200  to  $1800  a  year. 

A  head  librarian's  position  is  most  important  and 
requires  executive  ability  and  utmost  tact.  The  salaries 
are  from  $600  in  small  towns  to  $2500  or  even  $3000 
in  large  cities. 

High  schools,  private  schools,  colleges,  universities, 
publishing  houses,  law  firms  and  some  private  individ- 


THE  LIBRARIAN  163 

uals  employ  a  graduate  librarian  to  catalogue  their 
books  and  perform  all  the  duties  of  librarian.  Some- 
times, if  the  library  is  small,  such  a  position  may  afford 
one  much  leisure.  Salaries  range  from  $900  to  $1500 
a  year. 

Librarians  work  principally  in  large  pleasant  build- 
ings where  in  most  of  the  rooms  there  is  plenty  of  sun- 
shine and  fresh  air.  But  the  salaries  are  not,  in  many 
cases,  very  large,  and  promotion  in  public  libraries  (at 
least,  in  those  of  ISTew  York  City)  is  uncertain.  Per- 
haps the  temptation  occurs  here  more  often  than  in 
some  other  occupations,  to  neglect  one's  all-round  de- 
velopment as  a  human  being,  in  the  effort  to  get  ahead 
as  a  librarian.  Ideally  of  course,  this  should  not  be 
so.  Knowing  the  danger,  will  help  one  to  avoid  it. 

THE   LAWYER 

There  always  have  been  courts  and  judges  ever  since 
there  have  been  laws.  Only  recently,  however,  have 
women  tried  to  enter  the  field  of  law,  and  because  of  the 
small  number  in  the  profession,  there  is  not  as  yet  very 
much  confidence  placed  in  woman  lawyers.  But  every 
year  more  girls  are  entering  upon  the  practice  of  law. 
With  this  increase,  more  faith  is  being  placed  in  them. 

The  girl  with  an  analytical,  logical  mind,  the  power 
of  thinking  clearly  and  of  reasoning  abstractly,  is  the 
one  who  will  make  a  good  lawyer.  A  retentive  mem- 
ory, coupled  with  a  keen  insight  into  human  nature,  is 
a  valuable  asset. 


164          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

There  are  two  ways  to  train  for  the  law.  One  is  to 
complete  a  college  course,  followed  by  one  in  law;  the 
other  is  to  pass  three  or  four  years  in  a  registered  clerk- 
ship to  a  lawyer.  The  former  is  by  far  the  better  but 
more  expensive  way  to  study.  Women  will  find  that  it 
is  virtually  the  only  way  open  to  them.  Lawyers  are 
still  skeptical  about  having  women  clerks  in  training 
in  their  offices. 

The  college  law  course  is  from  three  to  four  years. 
It  gives  a  certain  breadth  and  balance  of  thought  that 
only  the  most  exceptional  office-trained  woman  ever 
gains.  After  graduation  a  student  is  required  to  pass 
the  "  bar  "  examination  before  she  can  be  admitted  to 
practise. 

Women  are  not  handicapped  in  competing  with  the 
men  in  classes.  One  woman  lawyer  says  that  the  girls 
in  law  school,  as  in  the  general  college  courses,  usually 
win  more  prizes  and  scholarships  than  men  in  propor- 
tion to  their  numbers. 

The  really  important  training  comes  after  the  embryo 
lawyer  passes  the  bar  examination  successfully  and 
enters  upon  her  years  of  clerkship.  This  training  is 
imperative. 

Law  schools  teach  many  things  and  train  their  stu- 
dents to  think  logically,  but  being  a  graduate  does  not 
necessarily  mean  being  a  lawyer.  The  graduate  can 
not  at  once  establish  herself  in  business.  There  are 
many  things  about  practice  and  pleading  that  can  be 
learned  only  by  actual  experience,  which  must  be 


THE  LAWYER  165 

gained  as  a  clerk  under  the  tutelage  of  a  lawyer  who 
has  had  years  of  training  and  experience.  It  is  not  an 
easy  matter  for  a  woman  to  get  a  position  as  a  law  clerk. 
The  prejudice  she  will  meet  all  through  her  profession 
begins  right  here.  The  girl  who  perseveres,  however, 
will  make  an  opening  for  herself  if  she  has  the  neces- 
sary qualifications. 

The  salary  of  a  law  clerk  varies  from  nothing  to  $15 
a  week.  The  hours  are  usually  from  nine  to  five,  al- 
though to  succeed,  a  young  lawyer  must  work  patiently 
morning,  noon  and  even  into  the  night. 

Unlike  most  occupations  where  better  training  is 
usually  acquired  in  small  firms  than  large  ones,  the 
best  legal  training  is  secured  in  the  big  office  of  a  suc- 
cessful firm,  where  many  cases  are  handled.  Here  the 
clerk  has  a  greater  opportunity  to  study  a  diversity  of 
methods  and  to  meet  a  diversity  of  emergencies. 

A  clerkship  should  be  of  at  least  two  years'  duration ; 
the  longer  the  better.  If  a  clerk  has  "  made  good,"  she 
is  likely  to  be  permitted  to  enter  into  an  arrangement 
whereby  she  can  handle  her  own  private  practice  through 
the  office  with  which  she  has  been  associated.  At  any 
rate,  it  is  not  advisable  to  open  an  office  to  wait  for 
clients.  Many  young  lawyers  have  either  starved  or 
thought  it  necessary  to  go  into  some  other  work,  usually 
journalism  or  teaching,  because  they  tried  to  work  in- 
dependently at  the  start.  It  is  far  safer  to  gather  some 
little  practice  before  doing  this. 

Comparatively  few  women  plead  in  court  without 


166          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

specializing  in  some  branch  of  the  work.  Specializing 
in  so  new  a  field  as  the  law  still  is  to  women,  presents 
many  hazards  which  women  will  do  well  to  avoid.  Gen- 
eral practice  is  safer  and  surer. 

The  returns  at  first  are  surprisingly  small.  It  is 
useless  to  quote  figures  for  they  vary  so  considerably  as 
to  be  no  help  in  deciding  upon  law  as  a  profession. 
Woman  is  today  in  the  process  of  finding  her  place  in 
law;  it  is  not  yet  established. 

Undoubtedly,  the  entrance  of  woman  into  the  political 
field  is  going  to  assist  her  progress  as  a  lawyer.  In  the 
states  where  there  is  woman  suffrage,  it  is  now  generally 
conceded  that  woman  is  a  human  as  well  as  a  feminine 
being.  It  is  rather  taken  for  granted  that  the  qualities 
which  make  a  man  a  good  lawyer  are  human  qualities 
and  not  masculine  qualities,  and  that  a  human  being  of 
the  opposite  sex  may  therefore  be  a  good  lawyer  too. 

The  very  fact  that  more  women  are  entering  the 
ranks  every  year  seems  to  be  the  best  indication  of  the 
possibilities  and  opportunities  which  law  holds  out  for 
women.  For  the  woman  who  desires  a  political  career, 
the  law  is  a  good  background  and  foundation.  The 
women  in  suffrage  states  are  beginning  to  prove  this 
admirably. 

THE   STATISTICIAN 

Some  colleges  give  courses  in  statistics  and  of  course 
a  girl  who  is  planning  to  go  to  college  and  later  become 
a  statistician  ought  to  study  statistics  while  there. 


THE  STATISTICIAN  167 

Although  statistical  work  requires  a  special  ability 
which  is  rarely  to  be  found,  it  does  not  unfortunately 
pay  unusually  large  salaries.  A  statistical  clerk  who 
works  under  the  direction  of  a  superior  receives  $100  a 
month  or  less;  we  regret  to  say,  usually  less. 

Statistical  work  involving  planning  and  interpreting 
of  an  investigation  pays  from  $1200  to  $2000  a  year. 
Experts  receive  about  $3000  annually.  In  the  Federal 
Government  the  director  of  the  Census  receives  $7500 
census  year,  $6000  other  years.  This  is  the  highest 
salary  paid  to  a  statistician. 

Statistical  work  for  women,  as  indeed  for  men,  cannot 
in  every  case  be  trained  for  as  in  other  professions. 
It  requires  some  apprenticeship  in  the  work  itself  to 
show  whether  or  not  a  girl  has  the  fine  discrimination 
necessary  to  deal  with  the  material  subjected  to  statis- 
tical analysis,  the  rare  ability  to  think  out  facts  in 
numerical  terms.  Beginning  as  a  clerk  or  in  some  other 
office  position,  a  girl  who  is  able  to  master  the  details 
involved  in  planning  a  study  of  the  business  or  activity 
she  is  engaged  in,  may  become  a  first-class  statistician. 

Although  the  chances  for  positions  are  not  very  en- 
couraging at  present  and  the  salaries  small,  in  con- 
sideration of  the  fineness  of  the  work  involved,  the 
opportunities  are  fortunately  increasing.  As  good 
statistical  work  becomes  more  appreciated  and  the  need 
for  it  is  made  more  apparent,  the  salaries  surely  will 
increase  and  the  number  of  possible  positions  open 
will  be  far  greater. 


168          THE  PROFESSIONAL  WOMAN 

The  world-wide  call  for  efficiency  and  the  world-wide 
effort  at  organization  and  scientific  handling  of  all 
problems  involving  human  need,  are  both  factors  which 
will  make  the  work  of  the  statistician  every  year  in 
greater  demand,  and  which  will  increase  its  significance 
and  social  value. 


AETS  A1STD  THE  GIEL 

To  most  of  us  the  words  "  woman  artist "  call  up  a 
picture  of  an  attractive  young  girl  garbed  in  a  gay 
smock  and  velvet  tarn  o'shanter,  gracefully  surveying  a 
half-finished  picture  on  an  easel  before  her.  The  pic- 
ture fits  very  few  cases. 

The  entire  field  of  art  work  concerns  two  classes  of 
women  and  men.  The  first  and  by  far  the  smallest 
group  is  composed  of  professional  painters  who  have 
chosen  art  as  a  creative  life  work,  a  means  of  self- 
expression  and  of  creating  for  the  world  the  beauty 
they  find  in  life.  The  woman  who  treads  this  path, 
shares  with  her  brother  a  hard  road,  bestrewn  with 
difficulties,  not  the  least  of  which  are  the  struggle  to 
master  the  art  itself,  and  the  struggle  to  make  a  living. 

The  other  class  is  composed  of  commercial  workers 
in  the  field  of  applied  art,  such  as  stenciling  patterns  on 
boxes,  copying  illustrations  for  advertising  material, 
executing  designs  made  by  the  creative  artist  for  jew- 
elry, wall  paper,  stage  scenery,  textiles,  etc.  In  most 
cases  they  do  absolutely  no  original  work. 

A  course  of  highly  specialized  training  is  generally 
a  prerequisite.  This  can  be  obtained  in  numerous  good 
art  schools.  It  differs,  however,  from  professional  train- 
ing, in  that  the  chances  of  permanent  employment  with 
advancement  are  not  so  assured. 

169 


170  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

To  the  girl  who  loves  color,  form,  f ahrics,  textiles  or 
design  in  any  form,  or  who  loves  to  fashion  things  with 
her  hands  this  field  offers  a  numher  of  interesting  oc- 
cupations. 

THE    JEWELER 

The  art  of  designing  and  making  jewelry  is  one  that 
a  beauty-loving  girl  with  original  ideas  may  find  most 
delightful.  It  is  not,  however,  always  well  paid.  Ex- 
quisite work  in  good  shops  is  done  by  young  women 
graduates  from  the  art  schools  who  often  receive  about 
$50  a  month.  The  choice  of  this  work  is,  therefore,  a 
matter  for  serious  consideration.  A  girl  not  remarkably 
endowed  with  talent  in  this  direction  should  not  enter 
the  field  unless  she  already  has  at  least  a  small  income 
assured.  Beside  the  artistic  ability  required,  she  must 
also  have  capacity  for  close  and  regular  application  to 
work.  If,  besides  such  qualities,  a  girl  has  in  addition 
such  executive  ability  that  she  could  plan  the  disposal 
of  her  wares  herself,  she  may  make  a  financial  success. 
This  combination  of  abilities  is  rare,  however. 

There  are  many  schools  throughout  the  country  where 
the  jeweler's  craft  may  be  studied.  The  courses  are 
usually  about  three  years  in  duration  and  tuition  is 
from  $15  to  $20  a  month,  excluding  cost  of  materials. 

Instead  of  studying  at  a  school,  a  girl  may  enter  a 
shop  and  learn  there  as  an  apprentice.  She  would  earn 
from  $3  to  $4  a  week  during  her  apprenticeship.  This 
direct  work  under  experienced  craftsmen  is  sometimes 


THE  JEWELER  171 

considered  more  valuable  than  schooling.  The  salary 
would  increase  to  $10  or  $15  a  week.  A  very  limited 
few  will  in  time  receive  $30  a  week. 

If  a  girl  wishes  to  start  in  business  for  herself,  she 
must  spend  much  in  equipment.  The  best  tools  are  ex- 
pensive, materials  dear,  besides  the  usual  rent  and  ad- 
vertising. Advertising  for  the  craftsman  jeweler  is  an 
especial  expense  because  it  must  be  done  in  those 
magazines  which  reach  people  of  means,  who  can  afford 
luxuries.  Of  course  a  girl  with  artistic  gifts  and 
personality  combined  may  find  ways  of  advertising 
among  her  friends  and  acquaintances  that  will  be  most 
valuable.  One  difficulty  is  that  the  majority  of  people 
still  cling  to  conventional  jewelry  and  do  not  appreciate 
the  beauty  of  craftwork.  The  usual  stereotyped  set- 
tings suit  the  taste  of  most  people,  just  as  clothes  cut 
in  fashion  do. 

It  requires  almost  nothing  but  mechanical  ability  to 
work  for  a  great  firm  where  the  production  of  jewelry 
is  an  industry  and  art  is  lost  sight  of.  Here  untrained 
girls  are  wanted.  The  hours  are  long,  the  work  weary- 
ing and  tedious,  and  the  wages  are  at  first  low.  The 
work  is  especially  hard  on  the  eyes  and  becomes  too 
often  a  mere  grind.  Foreigners  are  most  frequently 
employed. 

Few  people  realize  that  jewelry  should  have  in- 
dividuality and  suit  the  owner's  personality.  When 
this  idea  is  general,  the  art  of  making  craft  jewelry 
will  be  more  lucrative  than  now. 


172  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

THE   INTERIOR   DECORATOR 

Perhaps  none  of  the  vocations  open  to  women  seem 
to  be  surrounded  with  a  more  roseate  glow  than  that  of 
interior  decorator.  Numerous  girls  love  to  handle 
pretty  things,  to  plan  the  furnishings  of  a  room  and  to 
place  furniture.  It  is  as  instinctive  with  them  as  the 
tying  of  a  hair  ribhon.  But  interior  decorating  means 
a  great  deal  more  than  this.  It  is  a  business.  A  girl 
who  expects  to  be  successful  must  have  executive  ability 
as  well  as  artistic  sensibility. 

Various  art  schools  are  now  offering  a  special  course 
of  two  or  three  years  in  interior  decoration,  costing 
perhaps  $100  a  year  tuition.  This  course  includes  the 
study  of  form,  color,  line,  architectural  detail,  period 
furniture,  etc.  Every  possible  branch  of  art  is  included 
in  interior  decorating,  for  all  beautiful  things  are  used 
to  ornament  houses, — paintings,  furniture,  needlework, 
tapestries,  sculpture  and  porcelains.  Therefore,  a  dec- 
orator must  be  well  informed  in  all  branches  of  art. 
The  decorator  is  never  through  studying.  She  must 
read  continually  the  best  that  is  written  pertaining  to 
her  profession,  so  as  to  be  well  acquainted  with  what 
is  new. 

A  beginner  should  obtain  a  position  as  assistant  with 
an  interior  decorating  house.  In  this  position  she  will 
gain  a  fund  of  valuable  information  that  she  will  never 
get  if  she  starts  in  business  for  herself  directly  after 
her  art  training.  A  beginner  often  works  for  months 


THE  INTERIOR  DECORATOR  173 

without  any  salary  and  in  those  months  she  often 
obtains  as  much  useful  knowledge  as  she  ever  learned 
at  art  school.  She  is  trained  in  methodical  business 
methods  through  contact  with  the  trade  and  in  con- 
fidence through  meeting  clients.  When  she  has  gained 
all  this  experience  and  is  really  worth  a  salary,  she  is 
given  a  very  small  one  at  the  beginning. 

More  experience  is  gained  if  a  girl  works  for  an  in- 
dividual decorator  than  for  a  large  concern  where  the 
work  is  so  subdivided  that  each  one  must  particularize. 
An  assistant  would  have  perhaps  $8  to  $10  a  week  to 
start,  working  up  to  from  $25  to  $30  a  week  in  a  few 
years. 

To  start  in  business  for  herself,  a  girl  must  be  as 
well  trained  in  the  business  end  as  in  the  artistic.  A 
patron  will  not  be  satisfied  with  work,  no  matter  how 
well  executed,  if  it  is  not  finished  when  promised.  In 
almost  the  same  way  as  the  architect,  an  interior  dec- 
orator must  be  able  to  deal  with  all  classes  of  work- 
men. As  the  mason,  painter,  cabinetmaker,  uphol- 
sterer, all  come  within  her  realm,  she  must  make  them 
live  up  to  their  contracts,  so  that  she  may  live  up  to 
hers. 

Then,  too,  a  decorator  must  know  the  stock  of  each 
wholesale  and  importing  house  with  which  she  deals, 
what  the  manufacturers  are  making,  and  the  new  objects 
of  art  the  various  art  dealers  have  on  hand.  In  short, 
she  must  know  every  intricate  detail  connected  with 
her  profession.  She  must  know  how  to  receive  sugges- 


174  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

tions  from  her  clients  and  how  to  correct  them  in  such 
a  way  as  to  make  them  think  they  are  doing  it  them- 
selves. Infinite  tact  and  patience  are  required. 

When  a  girl  starts  in  business,  her  advance  depends 
much  on  her  circle  of  friends.  However,  if  a  decorator 
carries  out  successfully  one  important  commission,  she 
is  apt  to  be  "  made  "  from  that  time  on.  Her  work 
helps  very  much  to  advertise  her. 

One  of  the  best  known  women  decorators  makes  an 
average  of  about  $75,000  yearly  after  being  in  the  busi- 
ness for  ten  years.  Few  of  course  reach  this  high  salary 
but  there  isn't  any  reason  why  a  young  woman  with 
ability  and  social  opportunities  should  not  find  the  work 
congenial  and  remunerative. 

THE    LANDSCAPE    GARDENER 

Love  and  appreciation  of  natural  beauty  mark  the 
well-developed,  rational  human  being.  The  landscape 
gardener  has  to  have  more  than  this,  for  she  is  the  one 
who  is  able  to  see  the  possibilities  for  natural  beauty  in 
a  place  and  knows  what  methods  to  pursue  to  accentuate 
and  bring  them  out.  The  landscape  gardener  who  suc- 
cessfully handles  a  park,  for  instance,  makes  the  be- 
holder feel  that  most  of  the  beauty  was  developed  spon- 
taneously, and  at  most  has  been  merely  cared  for  by 
man.  Some  of  the  most  beautiful  parts  of  many  parks 
fulfil  this  requirement.  They  seem  to  be  primeval 
Nature.  But  you  learn  that  these  very  places  are  the 


THE  LANDSCAPE  GARDENER          175 

ones  designed  by  the  hand  of  a  clever  landscape  gar- 
dener. A  girl  requires  both  a  passionate  love  of  outdoors 
and  all  growing  things,  besides  a  capacity  for  hard 
work,  in  order  to  become  a  successful  landscape  gar- 
dener. She  needs  artistic  ability,  mechanical  applica- 
tion, and,  most  of  all,  perfect  health. 

Formerly  the  owner  of  a  great  estate  had  a  place  of 
beauty  only  if  he  or  one  of  his  family  or  gardener 
chanced  to  have  special  gifts  in  this  direction.  But 
today  the  millionaire  who  has  no  artistic  ability  hires 
a  professional  landscape  gardener  to  tackle  the  problem 
of  his  hills  and  valleys. 

Because  of  the  comparative  newness  of  the  profes- 
sion, there  are  few  schools  where  landscape  gardening 
is  taught  adequately.  They  give  on  the  whole  too  little 
architectural  training  and  not  enough  practical  study  in 
shrubs  and  trees.  A  knowledge  of  architecture  is  ab- 
solutely essential.  The  courses  are  from  two  to  four 
years.  Some  of  the  best  courses  available  are  found  in 
the  state  universities,  where  tuition  is  free  to  residents 
of  the  state.  Experience  in  the  office  of  a  good  landscape 
gardener  should  follow  the  college  course.  This  is  in- 
dispensable, for  practical  knowledge  of  the  workings 
of  an  office  is  not  gained  in  any  school  at  the  present 
time. 

In  the  office  a  girl  will  be  somewhat  handicapped  by 
the  tendency  which  prevails  to  keep  the  girl  at  whatever 
office  work  presents  itself  and  to  send  a  man  on  the  out- 
side work.  She  should  try  to  overcome  this,  as  the  prac- 


176  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

tical  experience  is  a  necessary  accessory  to  all  her 
theoretical  knowledge. 

A  girl  is  not  supposed  to  be  able  to  stand  the  hard- 
ships of  weather  and  poor  accommodations  as  well  as  a 
man.  She  will  not  be  able  to,  either,  unless  she  adapts 
her  clothes  as  perfectly  to  the  work  as  a  man  does.  In- 
-cidentally  it  may  be  remarked  she  can  do  this  without 
sacrificing  her  good  looks,  which  no  woman,  no  matter 
how  much  of  a  landscape  gardener  she  may  be  nor  how 
great  her  desire  for  success  may  be,  would  wish  to  do. 
Thanks  to  the  progress  of  the  last  few  years,  women  may 
buy  good-looking  garments,  including  shoes,  which  are 
comfortable  and  adapted  to  every  sort  of  outdoor  emer- 
gency. 

The  plea  that  women  cannot  carry,  as  a  rule,  the 
heavy  surveying  instruments  may  be  true,  but  they  must 
make  themselves  so  valuable  in  other  ways  that  this  one 
fault  will  be  overlooked.  A  girl  must  be  alert  to  every 
opportunity  in  order  not  to  have  this  side  of  her  train- 
ing curtailed,  and  the  draughting  and  theoretical  side 
overemphasized. 

OFor  the  first  year  or  so,  such  work  is  not  going  to  be 
very  well  paid.  A  girl  may  receive  $5  a  week  for  the 
first  three  months,  and  then  perhaps  be  raised  to  $7  or 
$8  and  later  to  $10.  It  certainly  isn't  much  for  a  college 
graduate  but  she  must  remember  she  is  gaining  experi- 
ence which  is  more  important  than  money  just  then. 

As  in  many  other  kinds  of  work  a  girl's  own  natural 
ability  will  in  good  measure  determine  the  rapidity  of 


THE  ARCHITECT  177 

her  success.  When  she  has  some  money  saved  and  feels 
that  she  is  capable  of  planning  and  executing  her  own 
work,  she  may  begin  to  think  of  going  into  business  on 
her  own  account. 

It  is  a  good  plan  at  first  for  the  girl  who  has  decided 
to  strike  out  for  herself  in  landscape  gardening  to  take 
desk  room  in  a  reputable  architect's  office,  and  to  ask 
his  cooperation  in  securing  clients.  If  he  should  rec- 
ommend her  to  his  clients,  that  would  afford  her  at 
once  some  work  to  do.  Her  success  would  then  measure 
her  increase  in  business.  The  girl  should  always  re~> 
member  that  satisfied  customers  are  her  best  advertise- 
ment. 

It  is  impossible  to  say  what  the  income  might  be.  At 
any  rate,  it  would  be  decidedly  fluctuating. 

The  field  is  a  rather  new  but  entirely  desirable  one 
for  women.  The  very  tangible  results  of  the  successful 
landscape  gardener  are  always  a  joy  and  a  keen  delight 
to  the  one  whose  beauty-loving  spirit  and  practical,  keen 
mind  brought  them  into  being. 


THE   ARCHITECT 

Architecture  is  an  art  involving  a  knowledge  of  many 
other  arts  and  trades.  For  this  reason  perhaps,  women, 
who  are  still  only  breaking  the  ice  of  work  in  the  out- 
side world,  are  not  yet  great  successes  as  architects. 

Women  ought  to  be  able  to  plan  houses  which  are  real 
homes,  better  than  men.  In  the  future,  they  probably 


178  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

will.  But  so  few  women  have  the  necessary  mechanical 
ability  that  thus  far  few  women  have  succeeded. 

Architecture  requires  a  beautiful  adjustment  of 
mechanical  ability,  artistic  gifts  and  business  capacity. 
Add  to  these  tact  and  diplomacy,  if  an  architect  desires 
to  attain  the  ideal.  Tact  is  necessary,  for  she  has  to 
meet  all  classes  of  people,  both  those  engaged  in  the 
building  trades  and  her  own  clients. 

Perhaps  in  no  art  or  trade  is  perfection  more  de- 
manded than  here.  Architecture  demands  a  knowledge 
of  the  activities  and  the  inner  life  of  human  beings, 
and  ability  to  represent  in  drawings  such  a  building  as 
would  make  these  activities  happily  possible. 

Besides  the  actual  planning  of  a  building,  the  ar- 
chitect must  be  well  acquainted  with  the  problems  of 
lighting,  heating  and  plumbing.  She  must  have  a 
knowledge  of  woods,  papers,  fabrics  and  the  processes 
of  construction.  There  is  always  something  new  to  be 
learned  and  studied  and  some  new  building  material  to 
be  used.  The  gamut  of  art,  industry,  commerce  and 
business  is  run.  It  is  a  prospect  that  may  readily  fas- 
cinate the  girl  who  has  diverse  gifts. 

This  is  the  advice  which  a  well-known  woman  ar- 
chitect who  has  been  in  business  in  New  York  City 
for  many  years  has  to  give  to  girls :  "  I  should  try  to 
dissuade  any  girl  from  entering  the  field.  I  have  known 
too  many  to  fail.  I  have  had  in  my  office  in  the  last 
fifteen  years,  twenty  different  girls.  Not  one  of  them 
had  the  strength  of  character  to  become  an  architect. 


THE  ARCHITECT  179 

"  Women  today  demand  an  equality  with  men  and 
then  are  shocked  to  get  it.  In  architecture  women  deal 
principally  with  men  and  the  supposed  weakness  of 
their  sex  is  ignored.  A  woman  architect  is  treated  as 
an  architect,  not  as  a  woman." 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  architect  does  not 
think  the  girls  who  entered  her  office  were  inherently 
disqualified  for  success  in  their  work,  but  only  that  the 
social  adjustment  was  too  difficult  for  them  to  cope  with. 
Of  course  this  would  be  less  of  a  problem  today  than 
it  was  five  years  ago.  Conditions  have  changed  and 
women  are  entering  every  field  of  activity  in  greater 
numbers  each  year. 

Courses  in  architecture  are  offered  in  nearly  every 
college,  and  may  be  completed  in  three  or  four  years. 
The  entrance  requirements  are  often  not  as  strict  as 
for  other  courses.  Training  in  the  best  university  is 
desirable,  but  if  a  girl  cannot  afford  to  go  to  a  school  of 
the  highest  class  she  would  do  better  to  enter  an  ar- 
chitect's office  and  get  her  education  there. 

Because  men  are  not  particularly  keen  in  this  branch 
of  art,  about  having  women  as  co-workers,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  study  typewriting  and  stenography  in  order 
to  get  a  job  in  an  architect's  office.  A  girl  who  makes 
herself  indispensable  will  stand  a  good  chance  of  being 
allowed  finally  to  study  architecture. 

The  majority  of  architects  who  have  not  been  for- 
tunate enough  to  have  a  college  education,  have  entered 
offices,  first  as  draughtsmen,  drawing  plans  worked  out 


180  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

by  another  person.  The  first  year  a  young  draughts- 
man will  receive  $10  a  week,  but  it  must  be  remembered 
she  is  being  trained.  The  second  year  her  salary  will 
be  increased  to  $12  or  $14.  Some  workers,  it  is  true, 
remain  draughtsmen  and  never  become  full-fledged 
architects.  Their  salary  will  never  amount  to  more  than 
from  $25  to  $35  a  week,  even  after  long  years  of  work. 

A  girl  who  passes  the  draughtsman  stage  and  desires 
further  advancement  in  architecture,  may  after  good 
experience  decide  to  open  her  own  office.  This  of  course 
demands  money.  It  is  too  bad,  but  it  is  often  true,  that 
her  success  will  depend,  at  first  anyway,  more  upon  her 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  who  will  patronize 
her,  than  upon  whether  or  not  she  is  really  a  good  ar- 
chitect. 

Time  alone  will  determine  her  ability.  Her  income 
will  vary  as  much  as  will  that  of  a  doctor,  lawyer  or 
dentist  and  will  usually  be  surprisingly  small  for  the 
first  few  years  after  she  has  started  out  for  herself. 
She  can  seldom  reckon  from  one  year  to  the  next,  for 
it  may  be  larger  this  year  and  appallingly  small  next 
year. 

The  field  is  one  of  the  most  promising  as  far  as  op- 
portunity for  development  of  great  gifts  is  concerned. 
The  girl  who  determines  to  be  an  architect  need  not  let 
her  sex  deter  her  from  entering  the  struggle.  But  a 
thorough  examination  of  one's  qualifications  should  be 
first  made,  and  an  unquenchable  fire  of  perseverance 
lighted  before  she  starts  out  on  her  career. 


THE  PHOTOGRAPHER  181 

THE   PHOTOGRAPHER 

There  are  only  a  few  branches  of  art  that  pay  well 
and  secure  to  the  worker  an  income  equal  to  the  amount 
of  labor  expended.  Photography  is  one  of  them. 

Until  a  few  years  ago,  girls  were  only  employed  in 
the  offices  of  photographers'  studios.  Now,  one  may 
find  them  in  practically  every  branch  of  photography. 
Many  women  even  have  their  own  studios.  Of  course 
ownership  comes  only  after  years  of  work  and  expe- 
rience, but  every  year  there  are  more  women  entering 
the  profession. 

A  steady  hand,  good  eyesight,  an  eye  for  detail,  and 
general  artistic  feeling  are  valuable.  If  ability  to  pose 
subjects  is  combined  with  them,  better  work  is  insured. 

If  a  girl  intends  to  do  the  actual  work  and  not  be 
simply  a  reception  room  assistant,  she  should  study  at 
a  photographic  school,  although  she  may  begin  at  once 
as  an  apprentice  in  a  studio.  The  courses  in  photo- 
graphic schools  are  from  three  months  to  a  year  or  more, 
the  tuition  varying  in  the  different  schools.  At  the 
school,  the  girl  will  learn  developing,  printing,  retouch- 
ing, light  and  shade,  posing,  etc. 

After  such  training,  she  is  qualified  as  a  beginner  in 
a  photographic  studio.  She  will  probably  first  be  given 
the  job  of  mounting  and  finishing,  for  which  she  will 
receive  from  $6  to  $9  a  week.  If  she  shows  sufficient 
ability,  she  will  then  advance  perhaps  to  retouching, 
at  $9  to  $25  a  week.  A  highly  skilled  retoucher  is  con- 


182  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

sidered  an  artist  and  may  receive  $40  to  $50  a  week. 
Printing  and  developing  are  sometimes  but  not  very 
often  done  by  women.  The  salaries  range  from  $10  to 
$30. 

The  operator  who  poses  clients  and  takes  the  pictures, 
commands  better  wages  than  those  paid  in  any  other 
branch  of  photography.  As  a  usual  thing,  the  owner  of 
the  studio  does  this  part  of  the  work,  which  requires 
artistic  ability  and  an  all-round  understanding  of  human 
nature. 

If  she  has  decided  to  become  a  photographer  without 
first  going  to  school,  a  girl  may  find  a  position  as  assist- 
ant, where  she  will  arrange  for  sittings,  keep  books  and 
gradually  gain  some  photographic  knowledge.  As  as- 
sistant, she  would  receive  from  $8  to  $35  a  week.  The 
larger  figure  would  be  hers  only  if  she  had  extensive 
executive  ability  and  gradually  took  over  the  business 
management  of  the  place.  To  deal  successfully  with 
customers,  she  must  have  graciousness  and  tact. 

A  girl  who  is  planning  to  own  her  own  studio,  must 
know  all  branches  of  the  profession  as  well  as  some 
chemistry  and  physics. 

One  successful  woman  photographer,  who  with  her 
sister,  has  a  studio  on  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York,  says : 

"  Photography  is  like  every  other  profession  or  art, 
as  it  should  rightly  be  called.  It  is  hard  but  it  has 
many  bright  openings  for  a  clever  girl.  For  the  girl 
who  proposes  to  have  her  own  studio,  a  year  or  two  at 
an  art  school  is  desirable.  She  understands  anatomy 


THE  COSTUME  ILLUSTRATOR          183 

and  blending  of  colors — two  things  every  photographer 
ought  to  know,  and  which  unfortunately,  the  majority 
do  not." 

Photography  ought  to  interest  girls  in  small  towns. 
Few  towns  have  good  photographers ;  cheap,  poor  work 
is  often  accepted  as  a  matter  of  course  because  the 
majority  of  the  people  there  have  never  seen  good  work 
with  which  to  compare  it.  A  photographer  in  a  little 
place  has  the  added  opportunity  of  doing  a  good  deal 
of  amateur  developing  and  printing,  if  the  town  is  sf 
summer  resort.  The  beginner  should  remember,  too, 
that  magazines  and  newspapers  are  always  on  the  look- 
out for  quaint,  unusual  pictures,  and  that  publishers  pay 
from  a  dollar  up  to  five  and  even  ten  dollars  for  clear 
prints  of  interesting  subjects,  accompanied  by  a  few 
words  of  vivid  description. 

The  photographer,  after  a  year  or  more,  may  de- 
velop unusual  ability  in  some  one  line  of  her  work 
in  which  she  can  afford  to  specialize,  such  as  color 
photography  or  pictures  of  children.  Photography  is 
delightful  and  remunerative  work  to  the  artist  who  is 
gifted  in  this  line. 

THE    COSTUME    ILLUSTRATOR 

Costume  illustrating  is  good  work  for  the  girl  who 
has  artistic  instincts,  but  who  can  not  afford  the  long  ex- 
pensive study  necessary  for  her  development  into  larger 
creative  art  fields.  The  scope  of  this  work  is  wide; 
there  are  so  many  branches  of  it  that  not  only  are  good 


184  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

illustrators  and  fashion  artists  always  in  demand,  but 
also  amateurs  fresh  from  art  schools  have  opportunities 
to  prove  their  ability.  A  field  in  which  the  beginner  is 
welcomed,  is  almost  unique. 

The  girl  who  aims  at  costume  illustrating  should 
have  first  a  broad  general  education.  She  ought  to 
give  special  attention  to  anatomy,  botany  and  history. 
High  school  training  should  be  followed  by  a  course  in 
a  school  of  design.  Courses  of  this  kind  take  from 
two  to  four  years.  Tuition  fees  are  from  $75  to  $100 
each  year. 

Fashion  publications  subdivide  the  illustrating  work 
so  that  one  employee  will  make  the  first  rough  sketch 
of  a  costume,  others  will  fill  in  the  outline,  another 
will  add  the  finishing  touches.  Each  will  be  required 
to  specialize.  A  beginner  will  probably  be  paid  by 
the  piece  until  her  ability  is  ascertained,  when  she  will 
receive  from  $10  to  $35  a  week.  Fifty  dollars  may  be 
reached  in  some  cases.  The  best  artists  working  on 
fashion  publications  on  a  salary  basis  are  paid  several 
thousand  dollars  a  year.  The  work  is  constant,  and  the 
income,  therefore,  steady.  The  hours  are  from  nine 
to  five,  with  a  half  day  off  on  Saturdays. 

Another  branch  which  the  costume  illustrator  may 
like,  is  drawing  for  mail  order  houses  and  department 
stores.  This  catalogue  work  lasts  only  about  twelve 
weeks  in  the  year.  It  is,  however,  splendid  training 
for  a  steady  position, — one  in  which  the  amateur  will 
be  much  interested.  Some  of  the  best  catalogue  work 


THE  MAGAZINE  ILLUSTRATOR        185 

pays  well,  other  cheap  catalogues  do  not.  The  pay  is 
by  the  piece;  from  $3  to  $5  a  figure  is  the  rate. 

Artists  are  sometimes  sent  to  make  sketches  from 
models  shown  in  dressmakers'  establishments,  or  a  dress- 
maker sometimes  requires  an  artist  to  go  to  an  importer 
and  sketch  a  desirable  costume.  This  also  is  piece  work. 
The  artist  is  expected  to  do  only  a  few  hours'  work  a  day 
three  days  a  week,  but  she  will  be  employed  only  about 
three  months  each  year  in  the  spring  and  fall.  Salary 
by  the  piece  is  $.50  to  $3.00  a  figure.  On  a  weekly 
basis  $8  to  $15  a  week  is  a  fair  average. 

The  environment  in  this  work  is  usually  good  and 
often  excellent.  The  tax  made  on  physical  strength 
is  not  great. 

For  the  girl  who  can  draw  and  who  has  an  eye  for 
color  and  a  love  of  beauty,  the  field  of  costume  illustrat- 
ing is  a  desirable  one. 

THE    MAGAZINE   ILLUSTRATOR 

An  interesting  branch  of  art  work  is  magazine  illus- 
trating. With  the  increase  in  the  number  and  im- 
portance of  magazines  in  the  last  few  years,  this  field 
has  widened  considerably. 

To  do  successful  magazine  work,  a  girl  must  have 
much  more  ability  and  preparation  than  for  costume 
drawing.  It  needs  initiative  and  a  fertile  imagination 
besides  the  other  art  requirements.  After  a  girl  leaves 
the  art  school  where  she  will  have  to  study  for  four  or 
five  years,  she  must  continue  to  study  as  long  as  she  doea 


186  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

illustrating.  "No  illustrator,  for  instance,  who  is  not 
up  on  current  topics  (which  at  first  thought  may  seem 
alien  to  the  suhject) ,  can  do  general  magazine  work. 

A  girl  who  wants  to  specialize  in  hook  and  magazine 
covers  will  require  certain  special  training  which  she 
can  get  in  a  year's  course  after  graduation  from  the 
general  art  course.  At  the  present  time  every  magazine 
illustrator  has  his  or  her  specialty.  All  through  the 
magazine  world  the  illustrator  will  find  it  is  specializing 
that  counts. 

One  of  the  unpleasant  features  of  magazine  illustrat- 
ing is  the  method  one  must  follow  at  first  of  disposing 
of  her  pictures.  She  has  to  "  peddle  "  them  around 
until  some  one  huys  them.  To  the  sensitive  person  this 
is  sometimes  hard  indeed,  hut  she  can  not  do  successful 
creative  work  until  she  has  steeled  herself  to  it  as  one 
of  the  necessary  drawbacks  which  she  will  just  have  to 
bear.  Beside  being  unpleasant  it  is  also  rather  un- 
certain. She  may  not  sell  anything,  whether  her  pic- 
tures are  good  or  not.  It  is,  therefore,  best  to  be  doing 
other  work  which  will  bring  her  in  a  steady  income, 
however  small,  until  she  has  become  known  to  art  editors 
and  until  they  are  sending  her  commissions. 

Artists  sometimes  offer  a  good  magazine  cover  to  a 
dozen  editors  before  one  buys  it.  When  some  striking 
illustration  of  the  artist's  has  appeared  in  one  magazine, 
she  will  find  that  it  acts  like  a  wedge  and  she  will  there- 
after sell  others  more  readily.  Art  editors  sometimes 
send  for  an  artist  whose  work  in  a  magazine  has 


THE  MAGAZINE  ILLUSTRATOR        187 

struck  a  new  note,  and  ask  for  similar  illustrations. 

Practically  all  magazines  require  that  their  fiction 
be  illustrated.  This  work  pays  well  when  it  can  be 
secured. 

An  assistant  editor  of  one  of  the  big  woman's  maga- 
zines told  us  the  other  day  about  an  artist  who  had  ap- 
plied for  illustrating.  Eleven  times  he  had  visited  that 
office  and  eleven  times  he  had  been  told  that,  although 
the  work  he  submitted  was  good,  there  was  nothing  for 
him.  The  twelfth  time,  the  assistant  editor  begged  the 
art  editor  to  entrust  the  illustrating  of  a  story  to  this 
persistent  young  man. 

"  Those  illustrations  were  the  best  we  had  used  in  a 
long  time,"  the  assistant  editor  said  in  telling  of  her 
find.  "  Needless  to  say,  he  got  more  work  and  plenty 
of  it." 

In  illustrating  stories,  an  artist  may  use  full  play 
of  his  imagination.  It  may  be  left  to  him  to  select  the 
phrase,  sentence  or  crucial  point  that  will  lend  itself  best 
to  illustration,  or  perhaps  the  author  may  already  have 
done  this.  Sometimes  an  art  editor  will  suggest  the 
general  outline  of  a  picture  but  usually  it  is  left  to  the 
ingenuity  of  the  artist. 

The  magazine  illustrator  has  a  long  hard  pull  to  fame, 
which  few,  of  course,  ever  reach.  The  work  is  interest- 
ing and  absorbing.  When  an  artist  is  established,  the 
monetary  returns  more  than  compensate  for  the  struggle. 
However  a  girl  should  consider  well  before  entering  the 
field  and  while  holding  a  position  in  some  other  line  of 


188  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

art,  slowly  work  her  way  into  magazine  illustrating. 
Perseverance  is  necessary  in  this  field.  A  girl  who 
does  not  have  to  depend  entirely  upon  her  art  income 
for  her  living  expenses,  will  have  an  advantage  that 
may  be  a  decided  factor  in  her  final  success. 

THE    NOVELTY    PAINTER 

This  type  of  commercial  art  work  includes — paint- 
ing celluloid  articles,  satins,  ribbons,  toilet  articles, 
infants'  accessories,  souvenirs,  etc.,  by  hand  or  with  an 
air  brush  or  spray.  The  air  brush  is  a  type  of  atomizer 
in  use  for  spraying  oil  colors  and  dyes  on  various  kinds 
of  materials.  It  is  largely  used  for  decorating  fans, 
glassware,  picture  frames,  furniture,  calendars,  fashion 
plates,  photographs,  etc.  The  brush  is  connected  with  a 
tank  containing  compressed  air. 

Conditions  under  which  the  work  is  done  vary  with 
the  type  of  building  in  which  the  workroom  is  situated. 
Where  a  cheap  grade  of  post  card  is  manufactured,  the 
workrooms  are  crowded,  the  work  frequently  being  done 
under  the  poorest  factory  conditions.  The  busy  season 
is  from  June  to  January. 

There  is  no  school  where  the  use  of  the  air  brush  is 
taught.  The  work  is  generally  learned  in  the  workroom 
itself  or  from  friends  who  may  have  an  air  brush. 
Sometimes  a  firm  will  take  a  beginner  at  low  wages,  and 
if  she  is  bright,  she  can  learn  to  use  the  brush  in  a  short 
time. 

The  salary  is  regulated  according  to  the  amount  of 


THE  NOVELTY  PAINTER  189 

experience.  Naturally,  experienced  operators  are  more 
in  demand.  Salaries  range  from  $6  to  $15  a  week; 
piece  workers  earn  as  much  as  $15  a  week.  Girls  work- 
ing on  the  cheaper  grade  of  post  cards  get  only  from 
$3.50  to  $7  a  week. 

The  opportunities  for  advancement  in  air  brush  work 
are  limited  as  they  do  not  lead  to  the  highest  branches 
of  art  work.  A  capable  worker  may  in  time  become  a 
foreman,  or  she  may  buy  her  own  air  brush  and  set 
up  in  business  for  herself.  As  there  is  a  constant  de- 
mand for  experienced  workers,  this  is  a  field  in  which 
the  girl  with  limited  art  ability  will  be  able  to  earn 
a  fair  salary  under  fairly  good  conditions. 

Novelty  painting  on  celluloid  articles  demands  a 
higher  degree  of  manual  skill  than  air-brush  work,  since 
the  design  must  be  painted  directly  on  the  articles 
without  drawing  or  stamping.  Special  art  training  is 
therefore  required  for  this  work.  Neatness  and  ac- 
curacy in  matching  designs  and  colors  in  the  various 
parts  of  sets  are  essential.  Training  in  an  art  school 
is  desirable,  but  not  absolutely  necessary.  There  seems 
to  be  very  little  opportunity  for  advancement  in  this 
work.  Salary  varies  with  experience.  It  is  piece  work 
as  a  rule,  the  worker  earning  from  $8  to  $18  per  week. 

Painting  on  satin  and  ribbon  articles  is  very  similar 
to  celluloid  painting  in  character,  conditions  of  work 
and  salary.  The  type  of  design,  however,  generally 
demands  a  wider  knowledge  of  drawing  than  celluloid 
work.  The  opportunities  are  better  than  in  the  case  of 


190  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

celluloid  painting  because  the  work  leads  to  a  higher 
grade  of  design,  embroidery  or  textile  work. 

'No  training,  only  accuracy  and  neatness  are  needed 
for  painting  ornamental  combs  with  gold.  As  the  design, 
is  engraved  beforehand,  the  operator  has  to  handle  the 
brush  neatly  and  to  be  economical  in  the  use  of  the  gold 
for  the  inlay  work.  Experienced  workers  get  from  $8 
to  $10  a  week.  There  is  not  much  opportunity  for 
advancement. 

Novelty  painting  as  a  field  for  girls  has  its  advantage 
in  teaching  a  girl  a  line  of  work  by  means  of  which 
she  may  establish  herself  in  a  business  of  her  own.  It 
will  be  a  benefit  to  girls  who  have  studied  design,  but 
have  had  few  chances  of  applying  it  in  more  difficult 
lines  of  work. 

THE   SCENIC    ARTIST 

In  the  whole  United  States  there  is  just  one  woman 
scenic  artist  and  she  is  a  wee  slip  of  a  girl  just  past 
her  twentieth  birthday.  Every  day  one  runs  across 
some  new  field  which  is  being  invaded  by  women,  but 
perhaps  no  instance  is  quite  as  astonishing  as  this. 

What  is  a  scenic  artist  ?  What  kind  of  scenery  does 
she  paint  ?  Therein  lies  the  marvel  of  it, — the  scenery 
for  theaters  which  one  sees  upon  the  stage ! 

Few  of  us  realize  the  vast  amount  of  time,  money  and 
energy  expended  on  one  theatrical  production.  When 
we  buy  our  ticket  at  the  box  office  we  are  apt  to  com- 
plain of  the  price,  but  we  scarcely  stop  to  think  how 


THE  SCENIC  ARTIST  191 

much  money  has  heen  expended  on  that  production 
before  it  was  ready  for  the  stage  or  before  any  money 
was  made  on  it.  Scenery  and  furniture  are  not  the  least 
items  of  expense. 

Few  women  have  become  scenic  artists  because  of 
the  arduous  work  and  the  amount  of  time  necessary 
to  become  at  all  successful.  It  requires  a  girl  with 
almost  a  masculine  mind  and  constitution  to  stand  the 
work,  and  even  then,  working  often  from  eight  a.m.  until 
two  or  three  the  following  morning  will  eventually  wear 
on  any  constitution;  and  that  work  is  often  required 
night  after  night  and  day  after  day  of  the  scenic  artist. 

First  of  all  what  does  a  scenic  artist  do  ?  Every  play 
must  have  scenery  which  must  be  designed  and  painted. 
That  is  the  work  of  the  scenic  artist.  Then  in  addition 
she  must  know  how  to  build  the  sets,  tell  the  carpenters 
how  to  prop  stage  rocks,  and  how  to  build  them  so 
that  they  can  be  packed  for  transportation.  The  scenic 
artist  must  know  how  to  make  models  to  scale,  how 
flats  are  put  together  in  addition  to  knowing  which 
colors  light  best  over  the  footlights;  which  are  warm 
and  cold;  which  colors  get  the  best  effects  for  certain 
plays.  She  must  also  know  a  great  deal  about  stage 
furniture.  When  she  knows  all  that,  she  is  only  really 
beginning. 

To  even  dream  of  becoming  a  scenic  artist,  a  girl 
must  have  a  good  grounding  not  only  in  the  rudiments 
of  art  but  must  be  a  fairly  good  artist  Scenic  work 
is  coarsening  and  she  must  be  clever  with  fine  work 


192  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

to  begin  with,  or  her  work  will  be  too  coarse.  Even  the 
paint  used  is  mixed  differently  from  other^  paints  and 
though  it  is  water  color  it  is  a  peculiar  kind. 

Many  girls  have  tried  to  become  scenic  artists  but 
there  are  many  things  which  frighten  them.  First  of 
all  the  scenic  artist  works  on  what  is  called  a  bridge — 
a  high  platform — and  the  canvas  is  stretched  out  before 
her.  Of  course  she  only  sees  part  of  her  work  at  a  time 
and  as  the  canvas  is  vast,  unless  she  knows  exactly 
what  scale  she  is  working  on  the  perspective  may  be 
entirely  wrong.  Then  too  she  wields  large  brushes  and 
must  be  physically  strong  to  stand  just  the  laborious 
part  of  the  work. 

There  is  a  great  prejudice  against  women  becoming 
scenic  artists.  Many  have  tried  and  many  have  failed. 
It  requires  almost  more  courage  to  succeed  in  this  line 
than  in  any  other.  Studios  are  not  exactly  the  right 
sort  of  environment  for  a  woman  to  work  in  and  unless 
she  is  able  to  establish  herself  independently,  which  is 
the  most  difficult  thing  in  the  world  to  do,  she  will  have 
a  hard  time  of  it.  If  she  does  establish  herself  (which 
takes  considerable  capital)  she  will  have  difficulty  in 
procuring  a  bridge  to  work  on,  for  theatrical  managers 
are  usually  loath  to  have  a  woman  work  on  the  bridge 
in  their  theater. 

The  best  way  to  break  in  is  if  possible  to  obtain  a 
job  as  assistant  to  a  scenic  artist  in  stock.  A  scenic 
artist  says  he  is  "  playing  in  stock  "  just  as  an  actress 
does,  only  the  artist  means  that  he  is  painting  the 


THE  MUSICIAN  193 

scenery  for  the  weekly  change  of  bill.  Sometimes  when 
the  set  is  simple  this  is  not  such  a  big  job,  but  when  the 
play  requires  elaborate  sets  the  scenic  artist  works  early 
and  late  to  get  them  finished  on  time.  This  sort  of  job 
will  give  the  aspiring  scenic  artist  a  better  idea  of  what 
she  will  be  up  against  than  anything  in  the  world. 
She  will  learn  construction  of  scenery  and  that  sort  of 
thing,  only  in  stock  many  effects  have  to  be  "  faked  " 
because  of  the  lack  of  time  to  go  into  detail. 

Although  scenic  work  is  perhaps  as  fascinating  as 
any  line  of  art,  because  of  the  very  nature  of  the  work 
it  is  practically  impossible  for  a  girl  to  break  in  unless 
she  knows  a  scenic  artist  or  some  one  who  is  willing  to 
hold  out  a  helping  hand.  Even  then  the  fight  is  a 
hard  one,  an  unending  one,  a  terrifying  one, — so  terrify- 
ing in  fact  that  few  women  have  had  the  courage  to 
stick. 

Perhaps  the  new  generation  will  develop  some  girls 
who  will  start  in  this  field  with  heads  erect  and  a 
firm  determination  to  succeed.  The  climb  is  a  long  one, 
but  if  the  girl  is  willing  to  sacrifice  practically  every- 
thing for  success,  some  time,  somewhere,  somehow  that 
success  will  come  to  her. 

THE   MUSICIAN 

There  are  few  artists  in  every  age.  Because  a  girl 
can  sing  a  little,  or  play  some  instrument  a  little,  she 
shouldn't  think  she  can  become  a  wonderful  artist.  She 
shouldn't  devote  her  life  to  music  unless  there  is  good 


194  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

indication  that  she  is  one  of  the  few  artists.  In  this 
transitional  time  when  woman's  work  has  been  mostly 
taken  out  of  the  home  and  woman  has  not  entirely  found 
her  place  in  the  outside  world,  girls  have  heen  too  often 
led  to  believe  that  after  a  few  lessons  on  the  piano  or 
violin  they  are  musicians.  For  a  girl  to  make  such  a 
mistake  is  no  less  a  tragedy  to  herself  than  to  the  world 
in  which  she  should  do  some  useful  work. 

Ordinary  musical  ability  may  warrant  a  girl  studying 
music  as  a  method  of  expressing  herself,  but  it  in  no 
way  warrants  her  making  it  her  career.  A  girl  who  is 
deliberately  choosing  her  life  work  would  do  better  to 
be  a  good  cook  than  a  poor  musician.  The  musical 
world  is  already  overcrowded  with  mediocre  singers  and 
players.  It  is  often  hard  to  know  just  where  the  blame 
lies.  Society  is  so  poorly  organized  that  there  is  much 
suffering  both  among  those  who  have  given  great  value 
to  the  world  and  those  gifted  ones  to  whom  the  world 
refuses  a  chance  to  serve  society.  In  the  realm  of  art 
we  are  more  critical  than  in  industry.  We  resent  what 
may  be  called  a  misplaced  musician  more  than  we  do 
a  "  misfit "  saleswoman,  because  the  former  is  probably 
doing  greater  harm  to  society  than  the  latter. 

The  girl  who  thinks  she  can  sing  or  play  well  enough 
to  make  it  her  career,  should  first  consult  an  expert  in 
regard  to  her  musical  ability.  If  it  is  the  expert's 
opinion  that  she  is  mistaken  in  herself  and  is  not  a 
musical  genius,  she  should  thank  him  on  her  knees  for 
having  saved  her  from  the  pitiful  anguish  of  learning 


fTHE  MUSICIAN  195 

all  tHis  after  years  of  delusion.  She  should  thank  him, 
too,  for  the  years  of  useless  study  from  which  she  has 
been  saved.  She  should  instead  use  the  time  and  money 
to  cultivate  some  real  talent. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  she  is  one  of  the  very  few  who 
should  study  music  seriously,  she  should  not  make  the 
mistake  of  neglecting  her  education  in  other  respects.  A 
good  general  education  cannot  be  too  strongly  urged. 
A  musician  must  be  a  cultured,  well-informed  human 
being.  Musical  gifts  should  never  be  considered  an 
excuse  for  neglect  of  all-round  development. 

The  length  of  time  to  be  devoted  to  the  study  of 
music  cannot  be  definitely  stated,  for  the  true  artist 
never  ceases  to  study.  When  one  plays  an  instrument, 
daily  practice  thereon  is  necessary  or  skill  is  lost.  The 
girl  who  sings  must  also  practise  daily  to  keep  her  voice 
and  ear  in  training.  It  will  be  many  long  years  before 
the  girl  who  decides  to  be  a  musician  can  reap  any 
financial  reward.  Her  preparation  for  a  career  must 
be  a  long  one,  involving  years  of  hard  work. 

The  piano,  the  violin,  the  'cello  and  other  instruments 
all  offer  special  fields,  if  one  leans  toward  instrumental 
music.  Singing  also  has  its  fields  for  glory. 

The  question  for  both  the  instrumental  and  vocal 
musician  is  whether  she  will  teach,  go  on  the  stage  for 
concert,  opera,  or  other  work,  or  get  a  church  position. 

For  the  private  teacher  the  path  is  often  a  difficult 
one  even  if  she  has  social  position  and  a  large  acquaint- 
ance from  which  to  draw  pupils.  Teachers  receive  from 


196  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

$.50  a  lesson  up  to  any  number  of  dollars.  The  income 
is  likely  to  vary  within  tragic  limits.  Four  months 
of  the  year  the  music  teacher  will  probably  have  no 
pupils  at  all.  While  this  may  be  a  very  welcome  rest 
for  the  successful  teacher,  it  is  a  serious  hardship  for 
the  one  without  a  bank  account. 

The  music  teacher  in  public  or  private  schools  does 
not  have  as  hard  a  time  in  some  ways.  Her  salary 
will  vary  from  $800  to  $3000  a  year,  but  she  will  at 
least  know  how  large  a  sum  she  can  count  on  annually. 

If  a  girl  wants  to  go  on  the  stage  either  as  an  instru- 
mental concert  player  or  as  a  singer,  she  will  learn 
while  she  is  studying  just  what  her  capabilities  are.  If 
she  is  remarkably  clever  and  gifted,  she  will  be  well 
paid  for  her  work.  But  if  she  does  only  fairly  well, 
she  may  be  out  of  a  job  very  often  and  when  she  is 
engaged  it  will  be  at  a  small  salary.  Grand  opera  sing- 
ers receive  fabulous  salaries,  as  every  one  knows,  but  at 
the  other  end  of  the  ladder  is  the  little  cabaret  singer 
who  makes  perhaps  $12  or  $15  a  week,  for  long  hours 
and  strenuous  work. 

Personality  counts  greatly  for  success  in  music,  as 
in  every  kind  of  work  which  calls  for  personal  contact 
with  people.  In  deciding  whether  to  be  a  musician  and 
what  branch  of  music  to  study,  a  girl  must  consider 
whether  she  has  the  sort  of  personality  that  will  be 
effective  in  public  or  private  work,  as  a  teacher  or  an 
entertainer. 

There  is  plenty  of  reading  matter  to  be  had,  both  of 


THE  MUSICIAN  197 

fact  and  fiction,  in  regard  to  the  possibilities  of  a 
musical  career,  as  well  as  stories  of  individual  musicians. 
They  should  be  secured  from  the  public  library  and 
read  if  the  girl  is  thinking  of  studying  music.  From 
them  she  will  learn  how  difficult  the  road  to  success 
in  music  really  is  and  the  golden  reward  which  real 
true  genius  finally  reaps.  She  will  learn  that  the  road 
to  failure  is  broad  and  wide,  and  the  reward  at  its  end 
is  very  bitter. 

If  she  feels  and  thinks  she  is  a  born  musician  after 
every  possible  test  has  been  made,  she  should  try  it! 
The  world  needs  music.  The  world  is  going  to  use  music 
more  and  more  with  the  gradual  evolution  from  pain- 
ful drudgery  to  happy  work. 

A  little  story  may  serve  to  illustrate  how  very  few 
really  wonderful  voices  there  are  in  the  world,  and  do 
more  good  than  pages  of  facts. 

Last  year  at  the  graduation  exercises  of  a  famous 
musical  school,  a  girl  of  twenty-three  years  sang  the 
solo  part  to  a  chorus  of  eighty-five  voices.  Every  one 
of  the  eighty-five  pupils  had  splendid  voices,  or  they 
would  not  have  been  permitted  to  study  in  that  partic- 
ular school. 

Out  of  that  class  of  eighty-six  there  was  just  one  girl 
with  a  wonderful  voice.  Still  there  are  years  of  study 
and  hard  work  before  she  attains  her  goal, — grand 
opera.  And  she  may  never  reach  that  goal.  A  thou- 
sand accidents  may  occur  to  impede  her,  she  may  lose 
her  voice,  or  it  may  never  prove  big  enough  for  grand 


198  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

opera.     So  out  of  that  class  of  eighty-six  not  even  one 
may  turn  out  to  be  a  genius. 

Unless  her  courage  is  impregnable  and  her  talent  as- 
sured, no  girl  should  study  music. 

THE   PIANIST 

There  are  in  many  of  the  large  cities  service  bureaus 
run  by  the  various  music  publishing  houses,  which  main- 
tain a  staff  of  people  to  play  their  music  and  popularize 
it.  Then,  too,  professionals  from  the  vaudeville  and 
musical  comedy  stage  learn  to  sing  the  songs  you  admire 
so  much  when  you  hear  them  on  the  stage  in  these  very 
places. 

This  is  the  music  publisher's  method  of  advertising 
his  wares,  at  least  one  of  the  many  methods.  Many 
pianists  are  employed  at  these  bureaus  to  play  the  new 
music  for  the  singers,  and  often  it  is  the  pianist  who 
tells  and  shows  the  singer  how  "  to  put  it  over/'  in 
theatrical  parlance. 

To  obtain  a  position  of  this  kind  a  girl  has  to  be  a 
very  good  pianist,  a  quick  reader  of  notes,  with  a  good 
retentive  memory  for  music — by  that  we  mean  able  to 
memorize  quickly  and  retain  what  she  has  memorized. 
The  ability  to  play  Chopin  is  not  necessary ;  to  be  adept 
at  ragtime  and  ballads  is. 

The  work  is  rather  nerve  racking  at  times  and  for 
this  reason  some  music  publishers  prefer  men  pianists 
to  women.  Then,  too,  pianists  accompanied  by  a  singer, 
also  employed  by  the  publishers,  often  "  play  "  a  turn 


THE  PIANIST  199 

at  various  vaudeville  theaters  to  popularize  a  new  song, 
and  men  lend  themselves  more  readily  to  this  sort  of 
thing  than  women. 

However  there  are  several  girls  who  are  doing  this 
work  most  successfully  and  there  is  not  any  vital  reason 
why  more  girls  should  not  try  it.  Of  course  the  field  is 
limited  but  a  girl  who  can  really  play  will  eventually 
land.  The  salaries  range  from  $25  to  perhaps  $50  or 
$60,  and  the  average  for  women  is  about  $40  weekly. 

One  of  the  greatest  requisites  for  a  position  of  this 
kind  is  a  smart  appearance.  A  girl  who  is  at  all  dowdy 
need  not  apply,  for  personality  and  personal  appearance 
are  the  great  assets  in  any  branch  of  the  theatrical  busi- 
ness. No  matter  how  clever  a  girl  may  be  with  her 
fingers,  no  matter  what  music  she  may  be  able  to  play, 
she  must  look  right  or  she  will  never  obtain  a  position 
as  pianist. 

Practically  every  village  now  has  its  own  motion  pic- 
ture house  and  a  girl  who  is  a  fairly  good  pianist  can 
often  obtain  the  position  as  "  band  "  in  the  local  motion 
picture  theater, — the  band  or  orchestra  usually  con- 
sisting of  a  pianist.  The  work  becomes  monotonous 
after  a  time  and  is  tiresome  but  it  does  open  another 
avenue  of  work  to  the  girl  who  wants  to  stay  in  her 
own  home  town.  Salaries  of  course  are  proportionate 
to  the  size  of  the  theater  and  its  receipts,  so  no  definite 
figures  can  be  given. 


200  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

THE   ACTRESS 

Almost  every  girl  at  some  time  in  her  life  has  a 
fervent  desire  to  go  on  the  stage.  There's  no  need  to 
deny  it.  Ever  so  many  of  our  elders,  otherwise  sensible 
people,  had,  when  they  were  young,  the  longing  for  the 
glare  of  the  footlights  and  the  applause  of  thousands. 

Practically  every  girl  has  some  dramatic  ability. 
She  has  strong  feelings  and  an  intense  desire  to  express 
them.  The  mimic  world  of  the  stage  seems  to  offer  her 
the  longed-for  opportunity, — now  to  mourn  for  the  loss 
of  a  lover,  now  to  dance  at  her  own  wedding.  The 
imagination  of  girlhood,  flying  over  the  gamut  of  emo- 
tions, finds  everyday  life  at  times  almost  unbearably 
commonplace.  So  it  is  quite  natural  that  millions  of 
girls  plan  and  thousands  of  girls  actually  try  to  "  go 
on  the  stage."  Most  of  them  gain  wisdom  without  ex- 
perience and  find  another  occupation,  but  some  continue 
in  the  path  that  leads  to  stardom  for  the  very,  very 
few. 

Not  even  stars  can  count  on  steady  success.  It  is  true 
that  they  are  paid  enormous  salaries,  but  a  star  may  be  a 
great  popular  success  one  year  and  her  play  may  fail 
the  next.  Then,  too,  the  public  is  fickle  and  once  a  star 
is  not  always  a  star. 

But  our  real  consideration  is  the  little  actress  who 
works  hard  and  often  fails  to  get  recognition.  It  is  not 
only  on  the  stage  that  hard  work  may  fail  to  bring  a 
fair  return  but  it  is  especially  true  there.  The  profes- 


THE  ACTRESS  201 

sion  is  very  much  overcrowded,  that  is,  there  are  a  great 
many  more  girls  wanting  parts  than  there  are  parts  to 
be  played.  Positions  are  hard  to  get.  The  girl  who 
seeks  a  stage  career,  should  be  sure  of  financial  support 
while  she  looks  for  work  indefinitely. 

!N"ot  only  is  the  profession  overcrowded  but  the  work 
is  seasonal  and  uncertain  at  best.  A  girl  may  be,  often 
is,  out  of  a  position  from  May  till  October.  Then  she 
may  have  to  pay  a  hundred  dollars  or  more  for  gowns 
for  a  play  which  may  run  only  three  weeks.  It  is 
just  because  most  girls  can  act  that  the  girls  who  do 
get  on  the  stage  find  their  positions  insecure  and,  in 
comparison  with  the  necessary  standard  of  living,  poorly 
paid. 

The  hours  of  work  are  long  and  irregular.  Of  course, 
when  a  play  is  a  success  and  the  actress  is  established 
in  one  city  for  a  long  time,  her  hours  are  fairly  regular, 
but  "  on  the  road  "  conditions  are  very  different  and 
trying.  She  may  be  called  on  to  make  a  daybreak  start 
or  to  appear  at  a  midnight  rehearsal.  Then,  too,  she 
can't  depend  on  the  quality  of  the  hotels  in  small  towns, 
and  a  girl's  health  is  likely  to  suffer.  On  the  whole, 
the  life  of  an  actress  on  the  road  is  exhausting  and  de- 
pressing. Ability  plus  hard  work  may  lead  to  promo- 
tion. But  it  may  not,  and  the  uncertainty  of  it  all  is 
hard  on  nerves  and  temper. 

To  the  earnest,  ambitious  girl,  the  stage  is  not  a 
dangerous  environment.  She  may  be  unpleasantly  ap- 
proached by  men  who  think  love  can  be  bought,  but  a 


202  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

girl  must  be  prepared  for  such  advances  in  any  occupa- 
tion. 

There  are  a  few  excellent  schools  of  acting  and  a 
great  many  others  that  will  take  money  and  give  nothing 
in  return.  It  is  generally  thought  that  the  best  place  to 
get  stage  training  is  on  the  stage  itself.  The  first  thing 
is  to  get  a  position.  This  may  or  may  not  be  done 
through  agencies.  These,  like  the  schools,  are  sometimes 
reliable;  very  often,  they  are  not.  The  commonest  way 
of  seeking  positions  is  by  application  to  the  theater 
manager.  The  first  months  of  all  stage  careers  and 
often  many  months  of  every  year  thereafter  are  spent 
waiting  in  managers'  offices  in  the  hope  that  a  job  may 
turn  up. 

There  are  four  fields  among  which  the  would-be 
actress  may  choose — the  legitimate  stage,  musical 
comedy,  vaudeville  and  moving  pictures. 

The  Legitimate  Stage 

The  best  place  for  the  young  actress  who  is  seeking 
to  establish  herself  on  the  legitimate  stage,  is  in  a  stock 
company.  Here  she  gains  the  invaluable  experience 
of  playing  many  parts. 

Her  first  position  will  probably  be  that  of  "  walking 
lady,"  without  a  word  to  say.  The  position  may  pay 
from  $12  to  $15  a  week,  possibly  $18  on  the  road.  But 
when  one  compares  this  salary  with  that  of  a  saleswoman 
or  stenographer,  she  must  remember  that  the  actress 
probably  will  not  be  employed  half  as  steadily  as  the 


THE  ACTRESS  203 

former.  The  actress  will  have  three  or  four  weeks' 
rehearsal  without  pay  before  the  play  opens.  After 
rehearsal  she  may  be  dismissed  because  it  is  decided  not 
to  produce  the  play  after  all.  If  the  play  is  really  put 
on,  it  may  or  may  not  be  a  success.  The  plans  of  a 
manager,  a  little  oftener  than  those  of  mice  and  other 
men,  "  gang  agley."  Minor  parts  pay  usually  from 
$30  to  $40  a  week.  Promotion  comes,  if  it  comes  at  all, 
as  a  result  of  favorable  press  notices  and  the  approval 
of  the  public,  and  not  always  because  of  ability  or  hard 
work.  Beauty  helps  sometimes  but  many  of  the  greatest 
actresses  have  succeeded  without  it 

Musical  Comedy 

If  a  girl  succeeds  in  entering  the  field  of  musical 
comedy,  she  will  find  herself  first  in  the  chorus.  She 
will  be  paid  perhaps  $20  to  $25  a  week,  possibly  more 
on  the  road,  and  of  course,  no  salary  during  the  weeks 
of  rehearsal. 

Beauty  is  more  important  here  than  on  the  legitimate 
stage.  Singing  and  dancing  will  help  her  to  get  on,  but 
most  important  of  all  for  success  in  musical  comedy  is 
magnetism,  that  subtle  quality  that  brings  others  into 
sympathy  with  her,  that  carries  her  song  and  dance 
over  the  footlights,  and  that  makes  people  laugh  when 
she  is  gay. 

While  she  is  in  the  chorus,  she  should  try  to  get  the 
part  of  understudy  to  one  of  the  principal  players.  Luck 


204  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

may  give  her  the  opportunity  of  playing  the  part  some 
time. 

Vaudeville 

Vaudeville  offers  another  large  field,  but  in  the  more 
expensive  theaters,  the  actress  must  compete  with  well- 
known  actors  and  actresses  who  are  temporarily  out  of 
"  legitimate "  engagements.  However,  as  there  are 
some  less  important  theaters  which  pay  fairly  well,  the 
successful  vaudeville  actor  may  often  he  employed  all 
the  year  round.  In  the  less  expensive  theaters  where 
vaudeville  is  combined  with  moving  pictures,  the  play- 
ers ordinarily  present  their  acts  three  or  four  times  a 
day,  between  11  a.m.  and  11  p.m.,  and  as  a  rule  are 
paid  less  than  in  the  better  houses. 

The  work  in  musical  comedy  and  vaudeville  offers 
far  fewer  opportunities  to  the  girl  of  intellectual  gifts 
than  the  legitimate  stage.  Only  youth,  gaiety  and 
humor,  the  last  often  of  the  crudest,  find  expression  in 
these  places,  except  in  the  occasional  one-act  play  which 
in  vaudeville  is  sometimes  of  literary  and  dramatic 
quality. 

The  Moving  Picture 

Perhaps  the  most  practical  field  for  the  young  actress 
is  the  moving  picture  field,  but  unfortunately  for  her, 
this  field  is  already  as  overcrowded  as  the  others.  Here, 
as  in  vaudeville,  she  must  compete  with  well-known 
actors  and  actresses  from  the  legitimate  field.  In  seek- 


THE  ACTRESS  205 

ing  a  position,  she  will  find  herself  jostled  by  the  thou- 
sands of  young  people  who  think  that  it's  easy  to  work 
for  the  "  movies." 

This  is  a  mistake.  While  beauty  is  not  necessary,  a 
face  that  photographs  well  is  essential.  A  very  definite 
gift  for  pantomime  is  needed.  The  actress  must  be  able 
to  express  thoughts  and  feelings  without  words ;  and  this 
is  not  easy.  Patience  is  a  very  important  quality  for  the 
moving  picture  actress.  She  may  report  for  duty  at 
nine  o'clock  and  not  be  called  till  two  in  the  afternoon, 
or  she  may  not  be  called  at  all. 

Positions  are  secured  through  the  motion  picture 
companies.  If  a  girl  finally  becomes  established,  she 
will  find  that  her  work  has  some  practical  advantages 
over  other  fields  of  acting.  In  the  first  place,  there  is 
not  any  regular  night  work.  If  she  has  a  contract  she 
may  be  employed  52  weeks  in  the  year  at  a  regular 
salary.  When  a  girl  begins  work  in  a  studio  she  will 
probably  receive  from  $2.50  a  day  to  $5  working  as  an 
extra  girl.  She  may  work  one  or  two  days  a  week, 
perhaps  more,  often  less,  until  after  an  indefinite 
period  she  impresses  a  director  with  her  ability.  But 
too  often  a  girl  who  wants  to  work  in  pictures  has  not 
any  ability  and  never  gets  beyond  the  "  extra  "  stage. 
She  may  eventually  be  given  small  parts  at  $7  to  $15 
a  day  which  sounds  like  a  lot  but  how  many  days  a 
week  will  she  work  and  how  long  before  she  obtains 
another  engagement?  Finally  if  she  is  one  of  the 
lucky  ones,  she  may  sign  a  contract  for  one  year  or 


206  ARTS  AND  THE  GIRL 

more  at  a  salary  of  from  $75  to  almost  any  amount  a 
week.  But  never  count  on  it.  It  is  too  problematical. 
r  However  every  day  actresses  from  the  legitimate 
stage  are  "  filling  in "  between  seasons  with  motion 
picture  work  and  the  opportunity  for  a  novice  grows 
smaller  daily. 

There  isn't  any  glamor  of  romance  to  motion  picture 
work, — it  is  a  dull  grind,  uncomfortable  many  times, 
and  hazardous  at  others.  If  a  girl  imagines  she  will 
find  romance  in  a  motion  picture  studio,  let  her  seek 
elsewhere.  The  handsome  hero  usually  has  a  wife 
and  babies  waiting  for  him  at  home  and  thither  he 
dashes  as  soon  as  the  day's  work  is  over,  just  as  any 
business  man  hurries  from  his  office.  His  work  is  a 
business  and  he  is  just  an  ordinary  human  being,  earn- 
ing his  living  in  the  best  way  he  can. 

If  a  girl  who  has  to  earn  her  living,  believes  that 
it  is  easy  to  do  it  in  the  movies,  let  her  try  anything 
in  the  world  but  picture  work.  However  if  she  only 
desires  to  earn  a  few  dollars  occasionally  she  can  reg- 
ister at  one  or  more  booking  agencies  and  they  will 
call  her  for  extra  work.  For  this  service  she  pays  a 
commission.  But  the  girl  who  does  this  many  times 
just  to  get  into  a  studio  and  say  that  she  knows  so  and 
so,  in  order  that  her  girl  friends  may  envy  her,  is 
really  most  selfish  for  she  may  be  taking  a  day's  work 
from  an  actress  who  is  out  of  work  and  needs  the 
money. 

So,  you  little  stage-struck  girl,  who  sees  only  the 


THE  ACTRESS  207 

glamor  and  not  the  hard  work,  seek  success  in  other  fields 
where  success  comes  easier,  and  the  heartaches  are 
fewer. 

Theatrical  people  are  the  most  wonderful  in  the 
world,  uncomplaining,  always  smiling,  ever  ready  to 
help  one  less  fortunate,  and  to  the  outward  world  they 
are  always  seemingly  happy,  and  behind  the  footlights 
their  life  seems  ideal. 

But  it  isn't!  And  each  of  them,  although  they  would 
not  leave  the  stage  for  anything  in  the  world,  will  warn 
you  against  attempting  a  stage  career. 

If  a  girl  really  has  dramatic  ability  and  knows  that 
she  could  never  be  happy  anywhere  but  on  the  stage; 
if  she  is  willing  to  face  the  hardships,  the  years  of 
struggle,  the  constant  fight,  perhaps  defeat,  nothing  in 
this  world  will  deter  her  from  trying  her  wings.  But 
think  it  over  carefully;  before  you  embark  on  a  stage 
career,  meet  the  facts  squarely  in  the  face,  and  if  you 
do  not  think  you  are  brave  enough  to  meet  discourage- 
ment and  perhaps  defeat,  start  out  on  another  path 
before  you  lose  your  youth  and  ambition. 


THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

FACTORY   WORKERS 

PERHAPS  more  girls  are  employed  in  factories  than  in 
stores  or  offices,  and  many  of  them  receive  as  much  or 
more  than  the  girls  who  work  in  offices  or  stores.  Fac- 
tory work,  we  admit,  is  not  the  most  fascinating  in  the 
world.  Yet,  if  a  girl  is  bright,  she  can  try  for  the 
higher  positions.  Few  girls  on  graduating  from  gram- 
mar school  or  leaving  as  soon  as  they  are  old  enough 
to  obtain  working  papers,  will  receive  more  than  $5 
to  begin.  In  many  cases  their  services  aren't  worth 
much  more.  As  she  has  an  incomplete  education  and 
knows  little  or  nothing  of  the  trade,  her  first  few  months 
in  a  factory  are  merely  months  of  schooling  in  her 
future  trade.  The  great  crime  in  this  work  is  that 
if  a  girl  begins  work  too  young,  she  is  apt  to  be  kept 
as  an  apprentice  for  years  before  she  is  allowed  to  learn 
how  to  operate  a  machine. 

When  a  girl  is  selecting  a  trade,  she  should  consider 
carefully  the  one  in  which  there  is  most  hope  of  advance- 
ment. Of  course,  every  girl  hopes  to  marry  some  day 
and  leave  the  factory,  but  that  hope  ought  not  to  deter 
her  from  striving  for  the  highest  position  and  salary 
obtainable. 

The  position  of  forewoman  is  a  coveted  one  in  every 
factory.  Upon  questioning  forewomen  in  different  in- 


FACTORY  WORKERS  209 

dustries  we  found  that  the  majority  were  women  who 
had  started  work  as  apprentices.  Forewomen  seldom 
receive  less  than  $18  a  week  and  though  theirs  is  a 
responsible  position,  their  days  of  hard  work  are  prac- 
tically ended. 

The  great  objection  to  factory  work  is  the  deadly 
monotony  of  repeating  the  same  motion  hundreds  of 
times  a  day.  It  stunts  the  imagination,  dulls  the  in- 
tellect, and  does  not  spur  the  operator  on  to  any  great 
desire. 

Speed!  speed!  speed!  is  the  cry  in  every  factory  as 
most  work  is  piece  work,  for  if  a  girl  knows  her  salary 
depends  on  the  amount  of  work  she  does,  she  is  spurred 
on  to  work  faster.  This  intense  strain  often  causes 
physical  ruin  to  the  worker.  Many  girls  break  down 
after  years  of  factory  work.  Yet,  a  well-known  factory 
investigator  insists  that  there  are  workers  in  factories 
who  don't  seem  to  be  any  the  worse  for  it.  However, 
a  girl  ought  not  to  start  to  work  too  young.  She  soon 
tires  of  the  unskilled  work  and  drifts  from  factory  to 
factory,  seldom  learning  any  trade. 

After  a  girl  has  learned  a  trade,  she  is  apt  to  be 
satisfied  and  to  stagnate  if  she  is  earning  a  fairly  decent 
salary.  Even  if  she  gets  less  at  first,  it  is  wise  for  her 
to  learn  how  to  run  every  machine  in  the  factory.  This 
will  help  her  toward  the  position  of  forewoman,  besides 
assuring  her  of  the  fact  that  she  need  never  be  out  of  a 
job. 

Laws  have  been  passed  in  the  last  few  years  in  many 


210  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

states  in  the  union,  regulating  the  hours  of  work  and 
sanitary  conditions  in  factories.  Conditions  in  factories 
are  not  always  satisfactory,  but  they  are,  we  believe, 
steadily  improving.  Old  buildings  that  are  not  fire- 
proof are  being  renovated  and  made  safe.  All  new 
loft  buildings  which  are  being  erected  are  being  built 
according  to  the  new  factory  laws.  Those  laws  secure 
adequate  light,  air,  toilet  and  lunch  rooms,  exits,  fire- 
escapes  and  chairs  for  workers  when  practicable.  In 
factories  where  dusty  materials  or  dangerous  machin- 
ery are  used,  there  ought  to  be  equipment  for  carrying 
off  the  dust  and  for  guarding  the  machinery,  thus 
protecting  the  worker. 

In  spite  of  the  laws  that  many  states  have  passed, 
children  under  sixteen  continue  to  work  in  factories. 
Unfortunately  these  child  labor  laws  are  not  always 
stringently  enforced.  It  is  the  duty  of  parents,  as 
well  as  of  the  state,  to  give  their  children  a  fair  start 
in  life.  A  girl  will  gain  more  in  the  long  run  by 
going  a  year  to  a  trade  school,  than  by  going  directly  to 
a  factory,  where  she  will  begin  at  two  or  three  dollars. 
In  the  end  a  girl  will  make  more  money  than  she  lost 
by  going  to  a  trade  school,  as  well  as  being  better  pre- 
pared for  her  work. 

The  men  and  women  workers  in  certain  industries 
have  banded  together  and  established  trade  unions. 
These  endeavor  to  fix  the  standard  of  wages,  the  length 
of  hours  in  the  working  day,  and  in  other  ways  materi- 
ally to  help  their  members. 


FACTORY  WORKERS  211 

Unions  have  been  of  assistance  in  many  cases  by 
demanding  a  living  wage  and  shorter  hours  of  work. 
However,  when  strikes  have  been  declared,  much  hard- 
ship has  been  caused.  Whenever  the  point  at  issue  has 
been  won,  union  members  have  gained  greatly.  When, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  strike  has  been  lost,  and  the 
strikers  have  been  out  for  a  long  time,  much  suffering 
has  ensued.  A  girl  earning  $6  or  $8  weekly  can  hardly 
save  much  money  after  paying  for  lodging,  food, 
clothes,  laundry  and  a  little  pleasure.  When  a  strike 
comes,  she  has  little  to  live  on,  and  if  it  lasts  long,  she 
often  goes  hungry.  However,  if  a  girl's  trade  is  union- 
ized, she  will,  no  doubt,  benefit  by  belonging  to  the 
union. 

Every  girl  who  enters  a  factory  has  her  own  problem 
to  work  out.  All  we  can  do  is  to  help  her  solve  it.  We 
can  warn  her  that  in  one  industry  she  will  never  advance, 
whereas  she  may  have  every  chance  in  another. 

There  are  innumerable  factories  manufacturing  hun- 
dreds of  different  articles.  Women  are  employed  in  all 
of  them ;  in  some  more  women  than  men  are  employed. 
Unfortunately,  this  is  because  in  many  cases,  girls  will 
work  for  less  money  than  men. 

We  have  tried  to  give  actual  facts  about  a  few  of 
the  industries  in  which  many  women  are  engaged.  The 
enormous  number  of  different  industries  makes  it  prac- 
tically impossible  to  cover  them  all,  but  perhaps  the 
following  information  may  be  of  some  assistance. 


212  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

THE  PAPER  BOX  WORKER 

For  the  girl  who  must  of  necessity  go  to  work  im- 
mediately on  leaving  elementary  school  after  receiving 
her  working  papers,  the  paper  box  trade  offers  an  open- 
ing. Although  she  does  not  advance  from  one  position 
to  another,  the  work  is  uniformly  fairly  well  paid. 
Girls  are  not  employed  in  all  branches  of  paper  box 
making;  so  we  shall  only  consider  those  branches  where 
girls  are  employed. 

The  one  really  dangerous  machine  is  run  either  by 
men  or  by  girls,  both  sexes  often  working  side  by  side 
at  these  machines.  This  process,  "  staving  "  or  "  set- 
ting up  "  consists  of  folding  a  side  and  an  end  of  a  box 
together  and  running  a  piece  of  paper  along  the  two 
edges  to  hold  them  together.  Safeguards  are  supplied, 
but  are  seldom  used,  for  the  girls  complain  that  the  iron 
finger  tips  lessen  their  speed.  The  work  is  usually 
piece  work.  As  the  operator  sits  on  a  low  stool,  the  work 
is  not  tiring. 

Another  process  is  that  of  "  stripping."  The  box  or 
cover  is  placed  on  a  wooden  block  the  size  and  shape  of 
the  box  and  is  turned  around  as  a  gummed  strip  is  fed 
out  by  the  machine.  This  strip  is  guided  by  the  operator 
who  presses  it  down  firmly.  The  knife  used  to  cut  the 
strip  can  be  operated  by  the  foot,  but  the  "  stripper  " 
invariably  uses  her  hand.  This  machine  is  very  simple. 
The  girls  sit  while  at  work.  Strippers  earn  from  $13 
to  $15  a  week,  occasionally  $18. 


THE  PAPER  BOX  MAKER  213 

Working  at  the  same  table  with  the  stripper  is  a 
"turner  in,"  who  presses  down  the  paper  extending 
beyond  the  edge  of  the  box.  The  "  turner-in  "  carries 
the  boxes  from  the  setter-up  to  the  stripper  and  from 
the  stripper  to  the  "  top-labeler."  All  "  turners-in  " 
are  girls.  They  sit  except  when  carrying  boxes  to  and 
fro.  The  turner-in  gets  about  $13  a  week. 

The  next  step  is  "  top-labeling."  This  is  pasting  paper 
on  the  top  of  the  cover  and  bottom  of  the  box,  when 
required.  This  machine  is  worked  by  foot  power,  re- 
quiring the  girls  to  stand  all  day  while  at  work.  At  this 
branch  of  the  work  they  can  easily  make  from  $11  to 
$13  weekly. 

The  finishing  is  done  entirely  by  hand  and  consists  of 
pasting  lace  paper  around  the  inside  of  candy  boxes,  in- 
serting tapes,  strips  of  paper  for  covering  contents  when 
filled,  etc.  Older  women,  not  able  to  run  the  machines, 
are  usually  found  at  the  finishing  table.  They  usually 
get  $13  to  $15  in  their  pay  envelopes  every  week. 

Then  there  are  the  labeling  and  closing  processes. 
These  are  very  simple  and  are  done  either  by  young  boys 
or  girls.  These  are  the  two  branches  of  the  work  for 
apprentices  though  new  hands  are  often  made  "  turners- 
in." 

Except  in  the  busy  season  the  hours  are  good  and  in 
most  factories  the  rule  of  one  half  day  in  the  summer  is 
observed.  The  busy  seasons  are  from  January  to  March 
and  from  September  to  November.  Even  the  overtime 
work  is  not  excessive. 


214  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

THE   CANDY   MAKER 

The  making  of  candy  is  one  of  the  growing  industries 
of  the  country  and  is  yearly  offering  employment  to 
more  and  more  girls  and  young  women. 

Candy  factories  sometimes  occupy  whole  buildings 
where  hundreds  are  employed ;  on  the  other  hand,  some 
factories  are  so  small  that  all  the  processes  of  candy 
making  are  carried  on  in  one  room.  The  majority  of 
the  factories  are  clean  and  not  overcrowded,  except  in 
the  busy  season.  In  the  large  factories,  men  and  women 
usually  work  in  separate  rooms. 

The  candy  making  proper  is  done  by  men  only ;  girls 
are  employed  in  the  finishing  processes, — hand  and 
machine  dipping,  for  example.  When  the  candy  is 
dipped  by  machinery,  the  girls'  job  is  to  place  the  trays 
of  sugar  delicacies  in  the  dipping  machine.  After  the 
candy  has  been  covered  with  chocolate,  the  girls  put  it 
into  cold  storage  rooms. 

Those  who  dip  candy  by  hand,  sit  at  long  tables  with 
a  bowl  before  them.  The  bowl  is  filled  with  whatever 
coating  is  to  be  used.  The  dipper  puts  each  candy  into 
the  bowl  and  turns  it  until  it  is  covered.  Then  it  is 
put  on  oiled  paper  and  carried  by  the  trayful  to  the 
cold  storage  room.  All  fine  candy  is  dipped  in  this  way. 
Girls  become  quite  expert  at  the  work.  These  are  the 
only  skilled  workers  in  the  trade.  They  receive  from 
$7  to  $10  a  week;  if  they  do  piece  work,  they  may 
average  from  $9  to  $10. 


THE  CANDY  MAKER  215 

Young  women  are  also  employed  as  wrappers  and 
packers.  This  work  is  entirely  unskilled  but  to  the  on- 
looker it  seems  to  require  great  dexterity.  The  packers 
work  at  a  high  rate  of  speed  but  for  their  work  they 
receive  from  $3  to  $5  a  week,  rarely  $6.  Those  who 
wrap  the  boxes  and  tie  them  with  ribbons  are  paid  $5 
or  $6  a  week. 

There  is  no  apprenticeship  in  the  candy  factories. 
Many  extra  girls  are  employed  during  the  busy  season 
but  they  are  discharged  as  soon  as  the  rush  is  over.  Dur- 
ing the  rush  seasons,,  employees  work  from  sixty-eight  to 
seventy-seven  hours  a  week,  and  receive  in  return  eight 
cents  an  hour  or  $.25  an  evening  for  the  overtime  work. 
Sometimes  overtime  work  is  paid  for  at  the  regular  rates 
for  day  work  and  occasionally  supper  is  furnished. 

Of  2800  women  employed  in  the  candy  factories  of 
New  York  City,  2100  receive  less  than  $8  a  week,  the 
lowest  wage,  according  to  experts,  on  which  a  girl  can 
support  herself. 

Dippers  work  in  what  is  known  as  the  "  cold  room," 
where  the  temperature  is  from  60  to  65  degrees.  As 
dippers  are  the  highest  paid  women  in  the  trade,  the 
work  is  coveted.  But  the  low  temperature  of  the  "  cold 
room  "  is  without  doubt  injurious  to  the  health  of  the 
employees. 

Many  candy  manufacturers  own  stores  and  often 
the  most  intelligent  of  the  factory  employees  are  trans- 
ferred to  the  stores  in  the  capacity  of  saleswomen. 
These  positions  however  do  not  always  constitute  ad- 


216  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

vancement,  for  the  store   assistants   sometimes  worK 
more  hours  than  the  factory  girls. 

Work  in  a  candy  factory  is  not  a  desirable  trade 
for  a  girl.  If  possible,  she  should  enter  one  where 
there  is  greater  prospect  of  advancement  and  fewer 
hours  of  work.  In  candy  making  there  is  practically  no 
chance  of  earning  wages  such  as  a  fair  standard  of 
living  demands. 

THE  BISCUIT  MAKER 

Perhaps  the  cracker  factory  where  the  information 
for  this  article  was  obtained  is  the  ideal  one;  perhaps 
there  is  not  another  like  it  in  the  world.  We  can't 
say.  However,  if  every  biscuit  factory  in  the  country 
is  only  half  as  clean,  bright  and  roomy,  we  should  choose 
to  work  in  one  of  them  in  preference  to  any  other  kind 
of  factory. 

Of  course  all  factory  work  is  tiresomely  monotonous ; 
the  repetition  of  a  single  motion  is  always  wearing  on 
one's  nerves  and  body.  Nevertheless  the  work  done  by 
girls  in  a  cracker  factory  is  fairly  well  paid,  and  not 
any  more  monotonous  than  any  other  kind  of  factory 
work. 

The  actual  mixing  of  the  dough  and  the  baking  is 
done  by  men.  As  in  many  factories  the  girls  are  em- 
ployed chiefly  in  the  packing  and  labeling  departments. 
Then,  too,  many  girls  are  used  to  fill  biscuits  when 
this  is  done  by  hand.  In  filling  the  biscuits,  two  girls 
work  in  cooperation.  A  cracker  is  spread  with  the  icing 


THE  BISCUIT  MAKER  217 

by  one  girl,  is  covered  with  a  second  cracker  by  another 
girl  and  packed  by  her.  When  the  biscuits  are  filled 
by  machinery,  men  are  employed. 

Although  chairs  are  provided  for  every  girl,  the 
majority  stand,  because  they  can  work  faster  standing 
than  if  they  sit  down.  The  filling  of  the  biscuits  is 
piece  work.  The  average  worker  makes  $8  or  $10 
weekly,  while  a  rapid  worker  receives  $10  to  $12,  pos- 
sibly $14  a  week.  More  girls  are  employed,  however, 
in  the  packing  and  labeling  departments.  The  girls 
work  at  long  tables,  which  have  a  rotary  belt  passing 
through  the  center  of  each.  The  crackers  move  along  on 
this,  the  girls  selecting  the  good  biscuits  and  discarding 
the  broken  ones.  Two  girls  work  in  collaboration  here. 
One  girl  folds  the  box,  ready  to  be  used  and  another 
girl  fills  it. 

The  box  makers  sit  at  their  work  while  the  packers 
stand.  They  both  average  about  $8  or  $10  weekly. 
Some  girls,  however,  are  unusually  fast  workers  and 
their  weekly  earnings  may  reach  $13  or  $14. 

Then  the  filled  boxes  are  passed  to  a  girl  who  closes 
them.  Some  boxes  are  then  labeled  by  machine  but 
the  tin  boxes  for  fancy  wafers  are  always  labeled  by 
hand.  Then  another  girl  packs  six  boxes  in  a  carton. 
[Most  of  these  girls  receive  $8  or  $10  a  week. 

Then,  too,  in  many  factories  girls  are  employed  to 
pack  sample  boxes.  The  need  of  speed  isn't  so  press- 
ing here  and  the  slower  workers  are  generally  found 
in  the  sample  packing  department.  In  every  depart- 


218  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

ment  there  is  a  forewoman  to  supervise  the  girls.  She 
usually  draws  a  salary  of  $15  or  $18  weekly,  some- 
times more. 

The  hours  of  work  are  limited  and  girls  under  eigh- 
teen are  not  very  welcome.  The  only  training  needed  is 
given  in  the  factory.  For  a  month  the  girl  works  for 
$5  or  $6  a  week,  learning  how  to  pack,  accurately  and 
neatly.  Then  she  is  placed  on  piece  work  and  her  earn- 
ings depend  solely  on  her  own  efforts. 

Many  biscuit  factories  supply  their  employees  with 
a  uniform.  This  entails  laundry  and  sewing  rooms 
and  the  employment  of  help  in  these  departments.  In 
the  laundry  the  stiff  white  duck  coats  and  trousers  worn 
hy  the  foremen  in  the  baking  rooms  and  mixing  room 
are  ironed  by  hand.  The  rest  of  the  work  is  done  prin- 
cipally by  machinery.  The  women  receive  from  $10 
to  $12  weekly.  They  have  the  regular  factory  hours. 
Therefore  their  working  day  is  shorter  than  if  employed 
in  a  regular  laundry. 

In  the  sewing  room,  women  are  engaged  to  make, 
alter  and  repair  the  uniforms.  Their  work  isn't  very 
strenuous  and  is  often  in  much  more  congenial  sur- 
roundings than  if  they  worked  in  a  clothing  factory. 
They  receive  $10  and  up  a  week. 

As  most  of  the  biscuit  factories  are  in  modern  build- 
ings, the  girls  have  rest  and  lunch  rooms.  Of  course  all 
factories  have  certain  drawbacks  and  biscuit  factories 
are  not  exempt  from  some  unpleasantnesses.  Neverthe- 
less if  a  girl  is  compelled  to  earn  her  living,  she  can  earn 


THE  CIGARETTE  WORKER  219 

a  fairly  comfortable  one  there,  with  much  less  effort  and 
physical  strain  than  in  other  industries. 

THE   CIGAEETTE  WORKER 

Candy  seems  to  be  an  almost  indispensable  luxury 
to  women,  and  cigarettes  to  men.  Many  of  the  millions 
of  cigarettes  made  and  consumed  in  the  United  States 
are  handled  principally  by  girls. 

Until  recently  most  of  the  girls  employed  in  cigarette 
factories  were  Greeks  and  Italians,  but  now  there  are 
many  American  girls  in  the  industry.  This  applies 
especially  to  the  departments  where  skill  is  required. 
In  some  of  the  New  York  factories  there  are  ten  or  more 
cigarette  machines,  each  making  25,000  cigarettes  daily. 
Naturally  it  takes  many  skilled  workers  to  pack  and 
label  this  vast  output. 

Some  of  the  factories  are  clean  and  airy.  This  may 
be  said  of  the  majority  of  cigarette  factories.  In  some, 
however,  the  factory  laws  are  evaded  and  conditions  are 
exceedingly  bad. 

While  the  work  of  running  the  great  machines  is  done 
entirely  by  men,  the  girls  are  employed  in  almost  all 
other  branches,  where  great  physical  strength  is  not 
as  essential  as  deftness.  The  girl  who  works  the  cork- 
tipping  machine  feeds  the  cigarettes  mechanically  into 
a  tube.  No  skill  is  required  to  tip  60,000  a  day.  The 
girl  stands  all  day  at  her  machine,  feeding  the  cigarettes 
into  the  machine  and  watching  for  broken,  or  imperfect 
ones.  She  will  receive  $7  or  $7.50  a  week.  Very  little 


220  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

hope  of  advancement  is  before  her.  The  work  is  ab- 
solutely unskilled  and  girls  with  any  initiative  will  not 
stay  at  this  job  very  long. 

Straw  tipping  is  done  entirely  by  hand  and  demands 
some  little  skill  in  placing  the  straw  and  care  in  not 
soiling  the  cigarette.  The  girl  takes  a  bit  of  paste  on 
her  finger,  runs  it  over  the  straw  and  fits  it  neatly 
around  the  top  of  the  cigarette.  These  girls  receive 
about  $10  a  week,  but  only  a  very  few  are  employed  in 
each  factory. 

Some  cigarettes  are  made  entirely  by  hand  and  this 
requires  great  skill.  Men  are  most  often  employed  but 
girls  who  are  expert  find  there  is  no  discrimination 
against  them.  The  amount  earned  depends  entirely 
upon  the  rate  fixed  by  the  factory  per  thousand  and  the 
worker's  speed  and  skill. 

Girls  are  almost  exclusively  employed  in  the  pack- 
ing rooms.  Here  the  girls  sit  at  long  tables,  with  a  tray 
of  cigarettes  at  their  right,  a  pile  of  small  boxes  at 
their  left,  and  a  bundle  of  inside  papers  before  them. 
The  paper  is  slipped  into  the  box,  then  the  cigarettes 
are  fitted  in,  the  box  is  closed  and  the  process  is  begun 
all  over  again.  The  operation  requires  skill  to  fit  the 
cigarettes  in  without  breaking,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  detect  and  to  discard  the  damaged  ones. 

For  the  two  weeks  usually  required  by  the  average 
girl  for  learning,  she  receives  $5  a  week.  At  the  end 
of  that  time  she  is  put  on  piece  work.  Of  course  she 
is  slow  at  first  but  can  earn  $7  or  $8  a  week.  As  her 


THE  HAT  MAKER  221 

speed  increases  her  salary  does.  Packers  receive  from 
$.07  to  $.12  a  thousand.  In  the  majority  of  cases  the 
girls  earn  from  $9  to  $12  weekly.  In  one  New  York 
factory  a  girl  draws  from  $15  to  $18  a  week  but  she 
is  unusually  skilful  and  rapid.  Then  other  girls  are 
employed  to  paste  seals  and  government  stamps  on  the 
filled  boxes,  while  still  others  pack  these  in  cartons 
and  label  them  for  shipping.  Their  weekly  wage  is 
$7  or  $8  with  little  hope  of  a  raise.  Forewomen  in 
the  packing  departments  receive  a  stated  salary,  and 
in  rush  times  also  assist  with  the  packing.  The  packing 
department  is  the  one  and  only  department  in  a  cigarette 
factory  where  a  girl  may  earn  a  comfortable  wage. 
Though  the  work  is  monotonous,  it  has  the  advantage  of 
being  rather  well  paid. 

THE  HAT  MAKEK 

It  is  unfortunate  for  a  girl  who  has  leanings  toward 
millinery  and  who  is  apt  and  capable,  that  the  season  in 
the  ladies'  hat  factories  is  short.  A  trade  like  this 
compels  her  to  learn  some  other  trade  for  work  be- 
tween seasons.  This  two-trade  idea  is  never  as  satis- 
factory as  a  trade  where  a  girl  is  sure  of  employment 
all  the  year. 

A  few  girls  are  taken  on  in  November  to  get  out 
samples  but  the  regular  season  is  from  January  to 
June — sometimes  July. 

There  are  some  trade  schools  where  girls  may  learn 
the  trade  and  if  a  girl  is  really  determined  to  enter  the 


222  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

occupation,  this  is  the  wise  thing  to  do.  In  a  trade 
school  the  course  is  about  a  year  and  is  usually  free. 
In  connection  with  the  actual  study  of  the  making  of 
hats,  a  girl  usually  is  taught  business  arithmetic,  Eng- 
lish and  designing.  Here  a  girl  learns  how  to  run  the 
various  power  machines,  to  make  and  shape  hats  of 
coarse  straw,  and  finally  when  competent,  to  work  on 
shapes  of  expensive  straw. 

However,  if  a  girl  must  earn  money  immediately, 
and  can't  afford  to  spend  a  year  in  training,  a  position 
as  errand  girl  or  helper  in  a  retail  house  will  give  her 
a  little  experience.  Sometimes  a  girl  beginning  as  a 
helper  in  a  wholesale  house  will  work  her  way  up  to 
operating  a  machine,  but  these  cases  are  rare. 

The  one  fact  impressed  on  the  writer  by  a  forewoman 
in  a  large  hat  factory  was  that  only  experienced  work- 
ers are  desired.  The  season  is  short  and  so  much  work 
has  to  be  done  that  every  one  must  know  her  work 
well  and  the  most  efficient  way  to  do  it  in  the  shortest 
possible  time. 

Women  work  principally  on  straw  hats.  When  felt 
hats  are  worn,  the  work  is  almost  steady  but  since  felts 
have  been  superseded  by  velvets  and  satins,  men  do 
practically  all  the  felt  work. 

The  operators  of  the  machines  that  sew  the  hats  are 
paid  by  the  piece.  They  shape  the  hat  on  a  wooden 
block  as  they  sew.  Workers  on  coarse  straw  or  the 
cheaper  make  of  hats  earn  $10  to  $15  weekly,  some- 
times $18  in  the  busy  seasons.  The  operators  on  the 


THE  HAT  MAKER  223 

fine  straw  hats  make  $10  to  $20  easily  per  week  and 
sometimes  $25  or  $30  in  the  busiest  weeks. 

Copyists  are  experienced  milliners  who  can  copy  a 
hat  accurately  and  quickly.  In  one  factory  visited  the 
majority  of  copyists  were  young  girls,  few  over  twenty- 
three  or  twenty-four  years  old.  The  majority  of  these 
girls  have  trained  in  a  retail  store.  Some  copy  dozens 
of  hats  from  models  that  have  been  trimmed  by  the 
designer.  Others  make  whole  hats,  especially  even- 
ing hats.  These  milliners  can  procure  positions  as 
trimmers  in  any  department  store  or  hat  shop,  and 
many  have  their  own  patrons  for  whom  they  work  be- 
tween seasons.  Copyists  make  from  $10  to  $20  weekly 
according  to  their  speed  and  the  style  of  hat  they  are 
working  on. 

Of  course  each  department  has  a  forewoman  who  has 
usually  risen  from  the  ranks  and  who  gives  out  the 
material  and  supervises  the  girls'  work.  These  women 
command  a  comfortable  salary,  differing  of  course  in 
each  factory. 

In  every  factory  there  are  one  or  more  designers 
in  charge  of  two  or  three  assistants.  Designing  of  hats 
is  a  gift,  though  careful  study  of  styles  and  public 
taste  will  be  of  assistance.  Designers  command  large 
salaries  and  usually  receive  a  month's  vacation,  summer 
and  winter,  while  many  go  to  Europe  annually.  A 
designer's  position  is  an  all-year-round  one. 

The  head  designer  of  one  of  the  large  hat  factories 
in  New  York  said  recently,  "Every  person  employed 


224  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

in  a  hat  factory  must  be  experienced  or  at  least  be  fully 
acquainted  with  her  machine.  Our  season  is  so  short, 
we  haven't  time  to  train  people.  Of  course,  we  keep  a 
few  of  our  best  workers  all  year  round  rather  than  lose 
them,  but  every  year  the  same  people  come  back.  Un- 
less a  girl  has  another  trade  to  fill  in  between  seasons,  I 
should  not  advise  her  to  enter  this  trade." 

THE  CLOTHING  MAKER 

In  these  days  when  ready-made  garments  can  be 
bought  for  less  money  than  it  costs  to  have  clothes  made, 
more  than  half  the  clothing  worn  is  bought  "  ready-to- 
wear."  Therefore,  a  great  army  of  women  and  girls  are 
employed  not  only  in  the  waist  and  dress  industries,  but 
also  in  the  manufacture  of  underwear.  Perhaps  more 
women  are  employed  in  the  clothing  industries  than  in 
all  the  others  combined.  Few  women,  however,  are 
employed  in  the  making  of  cloaks  and  suits,  men  being 
better  fitted  by  nature  to  handle  the  heavy  materials 
and  to  do  the  heavy  work  involved  in  this  branch  of 
the  trade. 

As  every  waist  or  dress  that  is  made  passes  through 
dozens  of  hands,  a  girl  will  work  on  just  one  portion  of 
the  garment.  A  girl  just  leaving  school  upon  obtaining 
her  working  papers  would  doubtlessly  begin  as  errand 
girl.  Two  or  three  dollars  is  considered  adequate  com- 
pensation for  her  labors.  The  next  position  she  will 
be  raised  to  is  that  of  "  finisher."  "  Finishers  "  sew  on 
hooks  and  eyes  or  buttons,  sometimes  by  machine,  some- 


THE  CLOTHING  MAKER  225 

times  by  hand,  cut  threads  and  generally  finish  the 
garment.  They  now  receive  about  $8  a  week. 

If  a  girl  proves  her  capability  she  may  be  given  a 
machine  to  operate.  In  large  shops  division  of  labor  is 
very  minute,  whereas  in  small  shops  one  girl  may  sew 
three  or  four  different  portions  of  one  garment.  Usually 
the  divisions  are  as  follows :  sleeve  makers,  body-makers, 
closers  (sewing  of  side  seams)  sleeve  setters,  skirt  mak- 
ers, belt  makers,  hemstitchers,  tuckers,  hemmers,  bind- 
ers, pipers,  lace  runners,  trimmers,  buttonhole  makers 
and  button  setters.  Therefore  a  simple  wash  dress 
costing  three  to  six  dollars  in  the  store  usually  passes 
through  about  twenty-four  pairs  of  hands  before  it  is 
finished.  Machine  operators  of  the  grades  previously 
mentioned  earn  from  $15  to  $25  weekly;  exceptionally; 
rapid  workers  $25  to  $35. 

Few  workers  ever  get  beyond  machine  operating,  but 
there  are  still  many  other  divisions  of  work.  Every 
factory  employs  a  designer,  who  designs  all  the  dresses 
or  waists.  Working  with  her  in  the  designing  room  are 
well-paid  women  who  make  one  or  more  dresses  from 
the  designer's  original  model.  As  all  designing  in  the 
factory  is  done  with  materials,  not  with  pen  and  ink, 
the  designer  needs  able  assistants.  A  high-class  designer 
may  receive  $30  or  $40  weekly.  The  "sample  drap- 
ers," "  sample  operators  "  and  "  sample  finishers  "  re- 
ceive larger  salaries  than  machine  operators,  ranging 
according  to  the  shops  where  they  are  employed.  Then 
the  models  go  to  the  pattern  makers,  who  are  usually 


226  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

men.  However,  a  bright  girl  who  is  willing  to  study 
this  branch  of  the  trade  in  an  evening  school  could 
do  the  work  as  well  as  any  man. 

Many  girls  are  also  employed  in  making  underwear. 
Here  the  wages  for  machine  operating  equal  those  in 
the  other  clothing  industries,  usually  averaging  $15  to 
$20  a  week. 

In  all  clothing  industries  the  completed  garment  is 
pressed  before  it  leaves  the  shop.  Women  are  employed 
to  do  the  work  in  many  cases,  except  when  the  material 
is  heavy. 

In  connection  with  the  clothing  industries  we  must 
mention  embroidery  work  both  by  hand  and  by  machine. 
Hand  embroidery  on  expensive  underclothing  and  on 
infants'  wear  is  in  demand,  but  the  work  is  a  tremendous 
strain  on  the  eyes.  Much  of  this  work  is  done  by 
married  women  of  reduced  circumstances  in  their  own 
homes.  The  price  paid  per  piece  for  hand  embroidery 
varies  according  to  the  skill  and  speed  of  the  worker. 
Machine  embroidery  now  pays  about  $10  to  start,  and  is 
usually  piece  work.  Stooping  over  the  embroidery 
frames  is  very  tiresome.  Unless  a  girl  is  exceptionally 
strong,  she  cannot  stand  the  strain. 

Another  branch  of  the  clothing  industry  is  that  of 
corset  making.  A  high  grade  of  skill  is  required  for 
making  corsets  because  of  the  difficulty  of  handling  the 
heavy  material.  As  a  trade,  corset  manufacturing  pays 
better  than  clothing  work,  few  girls  receiving  less  than 
ten  dollars  a  week  and  many  $12  to  $15. 


THE  CLOTHING  MAKER  227 

In  every  department  of  all  these  trades,  there  is  a 
forewoman  who  distributes  the  material,  collects  the 
finished  product,  keeps  account  of  the  amount  com- 
pleted by  each  worker  and  has  general  supervision  over 
her  own  department.  These  women  usually  started  as 
errand  girls  and  worked  their  way  up.  They  are,  there- 
fore, familiar  with  the  work  and  understand  their 
business  very  well.  Forewomen  receive  from  $18  to 
$25  a  week,  sometimes  more.  Of  course,  theirs  are  the 
coveted  positions.  Generally  a  girl  who  intends  to  stay 
in  the  industry  strives  to  become  forewoman. 

As  in  the  case  of  most  industries,  the  workers  in  the 
clothing  trade  are  not  well  paid.  The  work,  however, 
is  not  unusually  hard  on  the  health  except  in  the  case  of 
handling  the  heavier  woolen  materials,  and  a  girl's 
chances  of  advancement  are  as  good  as  in  any  other 
industry. 

Then  there  are  establishments  in  all  cities  where 
cleaning  and  dyeing  companies  send  materials  to  be 
hemstitched  or  pleated.  These  need  skilled  workers. 
A  girl  who  has  learned  to  run  a  hemstitching  machine 
will  find  a  position  in  one  of  these  small  shops  very 
much  more  desirable  and  better  paid  than  work  in  a 
large  factory. 

Another  branch  of  the  clothing  industry  is  the  making 
of  knitted  goods,  such  as  sweaters,  babies'  caps,  under- 
wear, etc.  The  work  isn't  so  pleasant  as  work  in  the 
waist  and  dress  industry  because  of  the  lint  and  worsted 
in  the  air,  which  is  injurious  to  the  lungs.  However, 


228  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

the  average  wage  is  slightly  higher  than  in  other  cloth- 
ing trades,  probably  because  of  the  danger  to  eyes  and 
lungs. 

Then,  too,  girls  are  employed  in  the  stitching  of 
gloves,  work  in  which  great  skill  is  required  for  suc- 
cess. In  non-union  shops  girls  have  to  pay  rent  for  the 
use  of  their  machines. 

Shoe  factories  employ  a  large  number  of  women;  in 
some  New  England  towns  all  the  girls  work  in  shoe 
factories.  A  girl  begins  by  cutting  threads,  also  mark- 
ing and  packing  shoes  for  $5  to  $6  a  week.  The  next  step 
is  stitching,  requiring  more  skill,  which  pays  from  $9 
to  $12  a  week;  while  vamping  pays  as  high  as  $20  or 
more.  Great  speed  is  necessary  to  make  these  wages. 
Because  of  slackness  of  work,  a  girPs  average  salary 
per  week  all  year  is  lower  than  that  stated  above. 

THE  FEINTING  AND  BINDERY  WORKER 

Throughout  the  country  there  are  printing  plants 
where  many  grades  of  men  and  women  are  employed, 
from  the  highly  skilled  trained  worker  to  the  lowest 
untrained  beginner.  Perhaps  there  are  few  factories 
where  girls  work  under  better  conditions  than  in  some 
of  the  good  printing  plants.  A  bright,  ambitious  girl 
can  earn  a  salary  as  high  as  $30  and  sometimes  higher. 

In  some  of  the  large  printing  plants,  everything  from 
an  encyclopedia  to  a  pamphlet  is  turned  out.  But 
books, — fiction,  travel  and  school  textbooks,  are  the 


PRINTING  AND  BINDERY  WORKER    229 

principal  ones  printed.  Girls  are  employed  in  nearly 
all  stages  of  the  work. 

When  a  girl  first  gets  a  job  in  a  printing  establish- 
ment, it  will  be  as  a  "  box  girl,"  to  collect  sheets  as  they 
come  from  the  folding  machine.  She  will  receive  $5 
to  $6  a  week.  The  work  is  monotonous  and  requires 
neither  thought  nor  skill.  The  box  girl  may  advance 
to  having  charge  of  a  folding  machine  which  folds 
the  large  printed  sheets.  This  is  piece  work  and  a  girl 
earns  easily  from  $9  to  $10  a  week.  As  she  sits,  there 
is  no  great  physical  strain. 

The  next  step  upward  is  to  the  job  of  gatherer, 
where  she  has  charge  of  a  machine  which  gathers  the 
book  together  after  it  comes  from  the  folding  machine. 
This  requires  some  skill  and  a  girl  must  be  alert  and 
quick.  For  such  work  a  girl  will  receive  from  $9  to 
$12  a  week.  A  supervisor  in  charge  of  all  the  workers 
on  gathering  machines  receives  $20  a  week.  Besides  the 
machine  gatherers,  there  are  girls  who  gather  the  books 
by  hand.  This  work  does  not  last  all  the  time  and  a 
girl  must  be  prepared  to  do  other  things  at  times  or 
be  laid  off.  Hand  gatherers  may  make  under  good 
conditions  $11  to  $14  a  week. 

The  next  step  in  the  making  of  a  book  is  sewing  it. 
This  is  highly  skilled  work.  Sometimes  a  girl  can 
stitch  1000  books  in  one  day.  It  is  paid  by  the  piece 
and  workers  make  from  $15  to  $18  a  week.  In  connec- 
tion with  the  sewing  machines  are  girls  who  cut  the 
books  apart  after  they  are  sewed.  These  girls  receive; 


230  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

from  $5  to  $6  a  week  as  the  work  is  unskilled.  Cutters 
may  later  become  sewers. 

In  making  the  cover  of  a  book,  a  specially  prepared 
liquor  is  used  to  make  the  gold  leaf  lettering  adhere. 
To  do  this  work,  which  is  called  "  sizing,"  takes  three 
or  four  years  of  training.  The  expert  "  sizer "  re- 
ceives from  $10  to  $12  a  week.  The  cover  is  conveyed 
to  a  specially  ventilated  and  lighted  room  where  the  gold 
laying  is  done.  Here  girls  sit  at  a  long  table,  applying 
the  gold  leaf  to  the  sized  cover.  The  work  is  highly 
skilled  and  demands  a  steady  hand  and  nicety  of  pre- 
cision. 

After  the  cover  has  been  stamped,  unskilled  workers 
at  $6  a  week,  take  off  the  surplus  gold  leaf. 

Girls  employed  to  paste  in  illustrations  do  piece  work, 
receiving  $.05  a  hundred.  They  make  from  $.50  to  $2, 
and  in  exceptional  cases,  even  $3  a  day. 

When  a  book  is  bound,  it  passes  to  the  examiners 
who  must  see  that  it  is  in  proper  condition.  Their 
salaries  range  from  $6  to  $8  a  week. 

Over  all  the  girls  is  a  forewoman  who  is  usually  a 
girl  who  has  worked  on  all  the  machines  and  thus 
understands  them,  and  in  addition  has  displayed  execu- 
tive ability.  Forewomen  receive  from  $25  to  $40  a 
week. 

The  most  skilled  work  a  woman  can  do  in  a  printing 
establishment  is  on  the  monotype  and  linotype  machines. 
The  work  is  unionized  and  highly  skilled  and  hence  the 
regular  salary  is  $27  a  week.  There  are  workers  re- 


PRINTING  AND  BINDERY  WORKER    231 

ceiving  $50  a  week.  The  brightest  corner  of  the  press 
room  is  set  aside  for  these  machines  and  here  girls  work 
side  by  side  with  men,  receiving  exactly  the  same 
salary.  Monotyping  must  be  studied  at  a  school.  The 
course  covers  a  few  months  and  is  not  expensive.  It  is 
fully  a  year,  however,  before  a  girl  becomes  an  expert 
operator.  A  knowledge  of  the  printing  business  is  help- 
ful. The  monotyper  sits  before  a  machine,  like  a  type- 
writer, which  has  a  keyboard.  Instead  of  making  words 
out  of  letters  by  striking  the  keys,  on  a  monotype  ma- 
chine a  series  of  dots  and  dashes  is  recorded  on  a  roll  of 
paper  like  a  pianola  roll.  This  is  placed  in  a  second 
machine  which  translates,  as  it  were,  the  dots  and  dashes 
into  words  and  makes  type  for  them. 

The  linotype  machine  is  worked  on  practically  the 
same  principle,  except  that  there  is  no  second  machine 
necessary  as  the  words  are  recorded  directly  in  metal 
type. 

A  girl  who  thinks  of  operating  either  a  monotype  or 
a  linotype  machine  should  visit  a  school  where  the  work 
is  taught  and  inform  herself  thoroughly  in  regard  to  her 
possible  liking  and  adaptability  for  the  work.  In  many 
schools  there  are  evening  classes  so  that  girls  earning 
their  living  in  other  work  may  prepare  to  run  these 
machines. 

The  forewoman  of  a  large,  clean  printing  house  in 
New  York,  said,  "  We  feel  mighty  proud  of  the  girls 
who  work  here.  They  all  are  interested  in  their  work 
and  many  of  them  repair  their  own  machines  as  well  as 


232  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

any  man  could.  Many  girls  learn  to  operate  more  than 
one  machine,  so  if  work  is  slack  in  their  own  branch, 
they  may  be  kept  busy  elsewhere." 

Printing  establishments  may  be  found  in  all  cities 
but  they  are  not  all  airy  and  clean.  Ventilation  and 
cleanliness  are  two  of  the  chief  things  to  note  when  you 
can  choose  your  place  of  work. 

THE  LAUNDRY  WORKER 

One  of  the  industries  in  which  a  position  is  very 
easily  secured  is  the  laundry  trade.  Even  for  a  girl 
who  is  so  strong  that  the  continual  strain  of  standing 
on  her  feet  in  a  warm  moist  atmosphere  won't  affect 
her  health,  this  work  should  be  almost  a  last  resort. 

There  are  two  types  of  laundries,  hand  and  steam. 
Hand  laundries  do  a  finer  class  of  work,  whereas  steam 
laundries  handle  steamer,  hotel,  restaurant  and  boardr 
ing  house  linens.  Sometimes  the  steam  laundries  do 
some  work  for  the  smaller  hand  laundries. 

A  girl  will  learn  her  trade  in  a  more  thorough  way 
in  a  hand  laundry,  for  the  work  is  less  sub-divided. 
However,  a  girl  who  knows  something  about  ironing 
from  helping  at  home  will  find  this  knowledge  of  great 
assistance. 

Hand  laundries  are  becoming  scarcer  every  year.  So, 
after  a  little  experience  in  a  hand  laundry,  a  girl  will 
find  it  to  her  own  advantage  to  secure  work  in  a  steam 
laundry. 

A  beginner  usually  sorts  the  pieces  as  they  come 


THE  LAUNDRY  WORKER  233 

from  the  drying  room  or  wraps  the  bundles ;  she  receives 
$6  a  week.  If  she  has  had  some  experience  she  will 
hegin  by  feeding  the  mangle,  that  is,  feeding  the  table 
cloths,  sheets,  towels  and  other  flat  pieces  on  to  the  flat 
hot  roller  which  smooths  them.  This  work  pays  from 
$4  to  $7  a  week.  A  girl  will  be  kept  at  the  mangle  for- 
ever unless  she  insists  upon  being  given  a  chance  to 
learn  the  more  skilled  work,  such  as  collar  ironing, 
starching  and  sorting.  The  collars  are  ironed  by  ma- 
chine, the  operators  receiving  $4  to  $8  a  week. 

Starching  is  very  difficult.  It  is  best  to  learn  it  in 
a  hand  laundry  and  then  to  go  to  a  steam  laundry  where 
the  hours  are  longer  but  the  wages  higher,  i.e.,  $15  to 
$20  a  week. 

Sorting  the  packages  as  they  are  received  is  a  re- 
sponsible position.  An  accurate  knowledge  of  materi- 
als is  needed,  for  certain  fluids  used  to  wash  one  kind 
of  material  would  ruin  another.  The  sorter  receives 
about  $10  or  $12  ;  the  folder  about  $15. 

A  skilled  ironer  is  always  sure  of  employment.  In 
laundries,  the  beginner  is  given  aprons  and  clothes  made 
of  gingjham  and  muslin;  as  her  skill  increases  the 
quality  of  the  work  and  her  salary  increase  proportion- 
ately. An  ironer  receives  $10  to  $12  a  week,  though 
a  skilled  worker  may  get  as  high  as  $18  a  week.  In 
the  laundry  as  well  as  everywhere  else,  there  are  fore- 
women, whose  salary  is  usually  $15  and  upwards  a 
week. 

Work  in  this  field  is  usually  steady,  but  the  great 


234  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

rush  occurs  during  the  summer  months  when  the  laun- 
dries are  almost  unbearably  hot.  Vacations  are  usually 
without  pay.  Winter  is  the  slack  season,  but  few  laun- 
dries "lay  off"  any  help.  In  cases  where  they  do, 
skilled  workers  can  usually  obtain  employment  in  a 
cleaning  and  dyeing  establishment,  where  the  busiest 
season  is  during  the  winter  months.  Many  fine  waists, 
light  wraps,  evening  gowns,  laces  and  embroideries  are 
cleaned  several  times  during  the  winter.  A  skilled 
presser  is  needed  to  iron  them  after  the  garments  have 
been  cleaned.  The  salaries  paid  are  about  the  same  as 
those  paid  in  the  laundries.  Though  many  other 
branches  of  work  are  done  in  cleaning  and  dyeing 
establishments,  no  one  is  so  well  paid  as  the  skilful 
presser.  So  a  girl  who  is  skilled  in  this  homely  art 
need  never  be  out  of  a  job. 

In  all  cities  there  is  always  a  demand  for  shops 
to  which  fine  laces,  lingerie,  dainty  waists  and  infants' 
clothes  may  be  entrusted  with  safety.  A  girl  or  two 
or  three  girls  with  a  small  amount  of  cash  capital  could 
open  one  of  these  high  class  laundries  and  without  doubt 
make  a  success  of  it. 

"  There  is  just  one  drawback  to  the  laundry  in- 
dustry," a  successful  laundry  worker  complained  re- 
cently, "  and  that  is  the  difficulty  in  being  changed 
from  a  poorly  paid  department  to  a  better  paying  one. 
You  may  be  promoted  to  a  better  department  but  to  be 
sent  to  a  better  paying  one  is  almost  an  impossibility." 


THE  MOTION  PICTURE  INDUSTRY    235 

THE    MOTION    PICTURE   INDUSTRY 

Twenty-five  years  ago  the  motion  picture  industry 
was  a  mere  myth ;  fifteen  years  ago  a  tiny  infant  strug- 
gling for  breath ;  ten  years  ago  a  mere  child  feeling  its 
way  cautiously;  five  years  ago  growing  steadily  and 
strongly  until  today  the  motion  picture  industry  ranks 
among  the  first  five  great  industries  in  the  United  States. 
The  picture  business  is  at  once  the  most  interesting, 
complex  and  least  understood  perhaps  of  all  fields  of 
endeavor.  There  are  positions  in  it  open  to  both  men 
and  women  ranging  from  $5  a  week  to  a  thousand  or 
more  weekly.  Because  the  motion  picture  industry  is 
the  youngest  of  all  the  great  industries,  it  is  the  business 
for  the  young.  Because  it  is  young  it  seems  to  be  in- 
terested in  youth  and  it  is  the  young  man  and  young 
woman  with  fresh  ideas,  new  ideals  and  strength  of 
endeavor  who  succeed  in  it.  Even  the  presidents  and 
managers  of  these  companies  are  young ;  Arthur  Spiegel 
of  Equitable  was  only  29  when  he  died,  and  Adolph 
Zukor,  president  of  the  Famous  Players,  is  a  young 
man  as  are  most  of  the  executives  of  the  other  firms. 

The  film  business  offers  to  a  young  girl  many  op- 
portunities, from  the  highest  skilled  art  to  the 
lowest  unskilled  manual  labor.  The  business  includes 
numerous  branches,  the  arts,  the  sciences,  profes- 
sions, commercial  lines  and  industries,  all  employed 
in  the  making  of  one  motion  picture.  Therefore  a  girl 
trained  in  any  one  line  of  work  may  find  an  opening 


236  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

in  the  motion  picture  industry,  and  many  times  will 
receive  a  larger  salary  and  find  her  work  more  agreeable 
than  in  other  fields. 

When  we  see  a  picture  on  the  screen  starring  our 
favorite  actor  or  actress,  how  many  of  us  realize  the 
many  and  devious  operations  employed  in  its  making? 
Most  people  seem  to  be  under  the  impression  that  a 
picture  is  photographed  and  then  in  some  miraculous 
manner  is  projected  for  our  amusement  on  the  screen 
in  a  picture  theater. 

Of  course  the  audience  realize  that  actresses  and 
actors  are  necessary  for  the  production;  they  hazily 
know  that  some  one  must  have  photographed  the  action 
and  in  a  vague  way  it  is  conveyed  to  their  minds  that 
some  one  "  directed  "  it,  for  the  director's  name  usually 
appears  in  a  title;  but  just  what  is  meant  by  the  term 
"  directing  "  is  not  always  understood. 

That  each  of  you  may  know  the  processes  employed 
in  the  taking  of  a  picture  from  the  first  to  the  last 
we  shall  take  up  the  course  of  procedure  and  discuss 
the  "  jobs  "  for  a  girl  as  we  consider  each  successive 
step. 

First  of  all  a  company  must  of  necessity  be  formed ; 
and  in  the  office  may  be  found  positions  for  stenogra- 
phers, bookkeepers,  typists,  telephone  operators  and  the 
usual  office  workers.  In  most  picture  concerns  the 
salaries  paid  to  these  workers  are  slightly  higher  than 
in  the  usual  commercial  offices,  and  the  work  is  not 
usually  any  harder. 


THE  MOTION  PICTURE  INDUSTRY     237 

In  the  actual  production  of  a  picture  first  of  all  a 
story  must  be  secured.  This  is  the  work  of  the  scenario 
department.  The  scenario  department  usually  consists 
of  an  editor,  an  assistant  editor,  several  readers,  con- 
tinuity writers  and  original  story  writers.  The  staffs 
of  most  of  the  companies  are  usually  divided  equally 
with  about  the  same  number  of  men  and  women.  The 
feminine  mind  is  an  absolute  essential  in  a  scenario 
department ;  and  the  women  are  paid  equally  well  with 
the  men. 

After  a  story  has  been  purchased  and  got  into  shape 
for  production,  it  is  handed  to  the  director,  or  the  person 
who  puts  the  picture  on,  in  other  words — the  stage 
manager  of  the  screen.  There  are  only  two  or  three 
women  directors  in  the  United  States;  Alice  Blacke, 
Lois  Weber  and  Ruth  Stonehouse  are  the  best  known. 
However,  there  is  not  any  reason  that  any  woman  who 
has  had  training  as  an  actress  and  has  the  ability  to 
direct  other  people  could  not  be  as  successful  as  these 
three.  Directors'  salaries  range  from  $100  a  week 
into  the  thousands  and  a  good  director  is  almost  as  hard 
to  find  as  a  new  ingenue.  Then  every  director  has  an 
assistant  who  checks  him  up  and  acts  as  a  handy  man 
in  every  way.  There  are  few  women  assistant  directors 
but  they  ought  to  be  even  more  successful  than  men. 
The  feminine  viewpoint  is  most  necessary  and  it  would 
be  an  ideal  combination  for  every  masculine  director 
to  have  a  feminine  assistant  and  every  feminine  director 
to  have  a  masculine  assistant.  Assistant  directors' 


238  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

salaries  range  from  about  $50  a  week  to  $150  or  per- 
haps more,  according  to  the  various  companies  and  the 
worth  of  the  person.  The  director  is  the  person  who 
makes  or  mars  the  picture  and  much  depends  on  his  or 
her  ability.  The  assistant  director  has  the  woes  of 
every  one  on  his  shoulders  and  must  have  a  clear  head 
for  detail. 

When  the  director  has  O.K.'d  a  script,  it  is  then 
turned  over  to  the  casting  director  or  the  person  who 
selects  the  people  to  fill  the  roles,  usually  in  conference 
with  the  director.  The  casting  director  must  be  able 
to  handle  people  effectively;  know  their  comparative 
worth  to  the  company  and  their  popularity  with  the 
public;  know  their  average  salaries  and  be  constantly 
on  the  alert.  The  casting  director  does  not  have  definite 
hours;  he  works  when  and  where  it  is  necessary  and 
this  is  true  of  the  studio  and  almost  every  other  depart- 
ment in  the  picture  business.  When  a  thing  is  to  be 
done  it  is  done; — it  cannot  wait  and  definite  hours  are 
not  often  adhered  to.  The  casting  director's  salary 
varies;  no  definite  figures  can  be  given;  and  a  woman 
more  often  fills  this  position  than  a  man.  In  one 
studio  in  New  York,  it  is  held  by  a  very  young 
woman  who  has  risen  to  the  position  from  that  of 
stenographer.  The  pictures  of  that  company  are  very 
ably  cast. 

When  the  picture  is  cast  the  script  is  turned  over  to 
the  master  or  director  of  productions  who  attends  to  the 
"  sets  "  or  the  rooms  in  which  the  scenes  are  photo- 


THE  MOTION  PICTURE  INDUSTRY    239 

graphed.  It  is  his  duty  to  plan  the  sets  and  to  see  that 
they  are  built  properly.  This  position  is  often  filled 
by  a  person  who  has  been  trained  in  interior  decorating. 
The  position  of  director  of  productions  is  one  of  those 
"  movable  "  ones  in  which  the  holder  must  of  necessity 
know  more  different  lines  of  work  than  seems  possible. 
This  job  is  usually  held  by  some  one  who  has  developed 
into  it.  Salaries  vary ;  no  stated  sum  can  be  quoted  but 
the  position  is  important,  interesting  and  essential  in 
the  production  of  a  picture. 

When  the  sets  are  ready,  the  cast  assembled,  and  the 
director  on  the  job,  the  picture  is  ready  to  be  "  shot " 
or  photographed.  The  camera  is  run  by  an  expert 
cameraman  who  has  studied  lighting  effects,  density, 
color  effects,  etc.  In  Italy  there  is  a  school  for  camera- 
men where  the  course  is  of  many  months'  duration. 
There  are  also  schools  here,  though  cameramen  usually 
evolve  from  camera  boys  whose  duty  it  is  to  carry  the 
tripod  and  camera,  and  be  as  useful  to  the  cameraman 
as  the  assistant  director  is  to  the  director.  We  do  not 
know  of  any  woman  who  "  turns  the  crank,"  in  studio 
parlance.  The  job  is  hardly  one  suited  to  a  woman  for 
many  times  the  cameraman  is  forced  to  climb  moun- 
tains, stand  for  hours  in  water  and  perform  many 
seemingly  impossible  feats,  always  carrying  his  camera 
with  him.  On  him  and  his  work  depends  the  beauty 
of  the  picture  and  the  clarity  of  the  film;  therefore 
expert  cameramen  are  very  well  paid.  About  the  lowest 
salary;  received  is  $60  per  week  and  oftentimes  the 


240  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

head  cameraman  of  a  company  receives  several  hundred 
weekly. 

When  the  picture  has  been  photographed  the  negative 
is  sent  to  the  factory  to  be  developed  just  as  you  send 
a  roll  of  film  from  your  camera.  Then  a  positive  print 
is  made  for  showing.  A  film  is  not  taken  in  sequence, 
and  often  many  feet  are  taken  that  have  to  be  discarded ; 
— the  film  is  then  joined  together  and  shown.  Then  the 
positive  is  cut  to  the  number  of  feet  necessary,  and  the 
negative  cut  from  that.  Film  splicers  are  the  poorest 
paid  of  the  girls  working  in  a  film  factory.  This  is 
the  "  scullery  "  work  of  the  trade  from  which  they  may 
grow  into  trained  workers.  They  receive  from  $8  to 
$12  a  week;  but  all  the  time  they  are  learning  and 
preparing  themselves  to  advance. 

The  next  step  is  the  negative  cutter  who  matches  the 
negative  to  the  positive  cut.  This  work  is  trying  on 
the  eyes  for  it  is  a  question  of  matching  scene  to 
scene, — each  bit  of  film  being  about  the  size  of  a  postage 
stamp.  Negative  cutters  receive  from  $12  to  $25  a 
week  or  perhaps  a  little  more.  The  next  step  higher 
is  forewoman  of  a  cutting  room.  The  forewoman  is 
usually  one  who  has  risen  from  the  ranks  and  who  has 
charge  of  a  number  of  splicers  and  negative  cutters. 
They  receive  from  $30  to  $35  weekly. 

Positive  cutters  must  know  the  value  of  acting  and 
study  the  picture  on  the  screen.  They  cut  the  film  from 
the  original  continuity,  which  is  the  new  name  for  that 
much  abused  term  "  scenario."  A  well  cut  film  is  three 


THE  MOTION  PICTURE  INDUSTRY    241 

quarters  the  battle  of  a  successful  picture.  Many  times 
a  badly  directed  or  acted  picture  can  be  saved  by  clever 
cutting.  Therefore  the  positive  cutter  is  an  important 
person  with  a  position  equally  so.  Positive  cutters 
receive  from  $25  to  $50  a  week.  However,  it  is  possible 
for  a  positive  cutter  to  receive  even  more  although  the 
person  who  is  known  as  the  Film  Editor  seldom  does 
the  actual  work  of  a  positive  cutter.  The  Film  Editor 
is  the  person  who  puts  the  finishing  touches  on  the  film 
when  it  comes  from  the  hands  of  the  positive  cutter 
and  often  the  two  positions  are  filled  by  one  person. 
The  Film  Editor  makes  final  changes,  recuts  the  pic- 
ture; suggests  changes  for  its  betterment;  and  often 
writes  the  titles,  although  the  position  of  title  writer  is 
a  variable  one,  sometimes  being  a  separate  position, 
sometimes  filled  by  the  scenario  editor,  and  sometimes 
by  the  film  editor.  Much  of  a  picture's  success  depends 
on  its  titles ;  and  good  title  writers  are  difficult  to  find. 
Film  editors  receive  from  $75  a  week  up,  two  hundred 
dollars  weekly  being  about  top  notch  though  not  an 
unusual  salary.  A  title  editor's  salary  runs  about  the 
same. 

These  positions  are  often  filled  by  women.  The  work 
is  delightfully  interesting  though  it  is  wearing  on  one's 
mind  and  body.  The  best  way  to  work  into  either  of 
the  latter  positions  is  through  the  scenario  department 
and  by  studying  the  cutting  end.  The  factory  workers 
have  regular  factory  hours  with  the  usual  recompense 
for  overtime  work.  The  conditions  under  which  they 


242  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

work  are  ideal  for  most  film  factories  are  new,  sanitary 
and  thoroughly  inspected  regularly. 

Every  film  company  also  maintains  a  publicity  and 
advertising  department.  The  salaries  here  are  about 
equal  to  those  in  any  other  line  of  work  and  are  dis- 
cussed in  detail  in  the  chapters  dealing  with  these  sub- 
jects. 

There  is,  however,  one  other  line  in  which  women 
are  engaged  and  in  which  women  ought  to  be  successful. 
Many  film  companies  maintain  an  art  department  with 
several  artists  who  are  kept  busy  with  "  spreads  "  for 
advertising  and  the  "  art  titles  "  used  on  the  screen. 
Then,  too,  there  are  several  "  title  "  offices  in  the  city 
employing  several  artists  to  letter  titles,  to  paint  back- 
grounds, etc.  This  work  is  interesting  and  women  are 
as  successful  as  men  although  strange  as  it  may  seem 
there  are  more  men  engaged  in  it  than  women. 

The  picture  business  affords  many  opportunities  to 
a  girl  for  advancement.  In  this  as  in  perhaps  no  other 
line  is  ability  recognized  and  advancement  offered.  The 
salaries  are  higher  because  the  business  is  constantly 
growing  and  its  returns  are  large.  As  to  the  moral  side, 
any  girl  who  wants  to  do  the  right  thing  and  keep 
"  straight "  can  do  it  as  well  and  as  easily  in  a  picture 
office  as  in  any  other  business  in  the  world. 

The  motion  picture  business  is  constantly  changing 
and  one  must  ever  be  alive  and  awake  to  progress  with 
it.  It  is  growing  and  the  persons  interested  must  grow 
with  it.  There  is  opportunity  but  one  must  seize  it. 


THE  FARMER  243 

It  is  impossible  to  stagnate  even  for  a  day.  Once  a 
reputation  is  made  in  any  branch,  one's  value  flies  sky- 
high,  and  salary  is  not  any  object. 

The  motion  picture  business  is  the  coming  industry. 
It  is  constantly  spreading  its  wings  and  enfolding  more 
people.  We  have  hardly  touched  on  many  of  the  jobs 
for  trained  industrial  workers,  such  as  carpenters, 
electricians,  paper  hangers,  painters,  plasterers,  wood 
workers,  ad  infinitum;  but  these  positions  must  of 
necessity  be  filled  by  men.  There  is  always  an  op- 
portunity to  create  a  new  job,  and  a  moving  picture 
concern  is  always  willing  to  listen  to  anything  new. 

In  conclusion  we  may  say  that  the  acting  end  of  the 
motion  picture  industry  is  the  smallest  though  perhaps 
the  best  paid,  that  a  girl  trained  to  do  almost  any  kind 
of  work  can  find  an  opening  in  some  company  and 
that  it  is  up  to  herself  as  in  every  other  line  of  work 
to  prove  herself  invaluable.  If  she  is  capable  of  doing 
any  other  kind  of  work  she  would  do  well  to  side-step  the 
acting-end  of  the  film  business.  The  field  is  overcrowded 
with  trained  artists  from  the  legitimate  stage  and  every 
day  it  is  becoming  more  difficult  for  a  girl  with  merely 
a  pretty  face  to  "  break  in."  This  subject  is  treated  in 
detail  in  the  chapter  on  The  Actress. 

THE  FARMER 

THe  scientifically  trained  farmer  has  come  to  stay. 
The  state  agricultural  colleges  in  most  cases  admit 
women  to  their  classes  in  farming.  Gradually  the  op- 


244  THE  GIRL  IN  INDUSTRY 

position  to  women  as  farmers  is  being  wiped  away. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  the  operation  of  large  farming 
machines  by  women  is  perfectly  feasible,  but  much  of 
the  old-fashioned  hand  farming  is  very  strenuous  for 
girls.  When  farmers  have  been  persuaded  to  employ 
women  for  outdoor  work,  the  pay  is  not  very  large, 
varying  from  $15  to  $35  a  month  with  maintenance. 
However,  there  are  signs  of  improvement  both  in  condi- 
tions and  in  wages. 

When  not  done  to  excess,  this  is  a  most  healthful  line 
of  work,  which  proves  to  be  educational  as  well  as 
absorbing.  There  is,  however,  one  objection  unless  one 
owns  a  farm  and  runs  it  herself — that  namely — the  work 
is  seasonal  since  there  is  little  employment  of  farm 
hands  in  the  winter.  A  girl  who  is  in  a  position  to 
rent  or  purchase  a  small  portion  of  land,  and  who  loves 
work  of  this  kind,  might  easily  make  her  farming  pay 
if  she  handles  her  problem  both  scientifically  and 
practically. 


THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS 

EVERY  girl,  whether  rich  or  poor,  should  be  trained  in 
some  occupation.  The  rich  girl  may  not  always  be  rich 
and  the  poor  girl  always  poor,  but  whatever  her  lot,  a 
girl  ought  to  know  how  to  do  some  one  thing  and  do  it 
well. 

Having  decided  on  what  business,  profession  or  art 
she  feels  is  suited  to  her  and  in  which  success  waits  for 
her,  and  having  acquired  the  knowledge  and  training 
necessary  to  start  out  in  that  chosen  field,  the  next  thing 
to  do  is  to  obtain  a  position  in  which  to  test  her  knowl- 
edge and  prove  her  worth. 

To  do  this  is  sometimes  very  easy  and  sometimes  it 
is  much  more  difficult,  depending  in  a  great  measure 
on  the  particular  career  the  girl  has  chosen  and  on  the 
girl  herself.  "  Experience  "  is  the  cry  of  the  business 
man  to  whom  every  minute  may  mean  dollars,  and 
to  whom  speed  and  accuracy  count  for  everything. 
But  every  one  has  to  start  some  time  and  if  the  girl 
looking  for  her  first  job  is  willing  to  start  at  the  bot- 
torn  and  says  so,  she  perhaps  has  learned  the  greatest 
lesson  in  life.  It  is  much  better  to  start  on  the  lowest 
rung  of  the  ladder  and  climb  upward,  than  to  start  at 
the  top  and  fall  down. 

Much  is  said  and  is  being  continually  written  about 
the  snares  into  which  the  unsuspecting  girl  thrusts 

345 


246  THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS 

herself  in  answering  advertisements  in  the  daily  news- 
papers. Of  course  it  is  always  wise  to  be  cautious  but 
the  girl  who  goes  into  the  business  world  with  her  head 
full  of  stories  of  men  who  try  to  lure  girls  to  destruction 
and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  will  be  looking  for  trouble, 
unconsciously  communicate  that  thought  to  others,  and 
therefore  may  find  it.  Most  business  men  are  too  busy 
in  the  course  of  a  working  day  to  make  any  advances  to 
a  girl  in  their  employ.  For  one  thing,  it  is  rather  risky. 
If  a  girl  invites  attentions  which  the  majority  of  men 
are  only  too  ready  to  give,  then  she  has  herself  to  blame. 
It  is  always  rather  amusing  to  hear  the  stories  some 
girls  have  to  tell  of  the  advances  men  make  to  them  in 
the  business  world.  If  it  is  done,  notice  how  the  young 
woman  dresses  and  conducts  herself.  That  usually 
answers  the  question.  Perhaps  it  is  done,  no  one  can 
say  it  isn't,  but  one  can  always  draw  their  own  deduc- 
tions from  stories  of  that  kind,  and  realize  that  atten- 
tions are  seldom  proffered  uninvited. 

"When  established  in  a  job,  don't  settle  down  and  be 
content  to  stay  where  you  are.  Advance!  Learn 
everything  you  can  about  the  business,  try  to  discover 
new  and  better  methods  of  doing  things.  Suggest  them 
in  a  quiet,  respectful  manner  to  your  employer.  He 
likes  you  to  take  an  interest.  Make  yourself  more  than 
a  mere  cog  in  the  office  machinery.  If  you  do,  you  can 
make  yourself  an  indispensable  employee  and  your 
salary  will  increase  proportionately  with  your  ability 
and  worth  to  the  firm. 


THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS  247 

Tlie  girl  who  learns  how  to  mind  her  own  business 
and  her  employer's,  is  the  girl  who  will  succeed.  An 
employer  is  more  liable  to  trust  a  girl  who  attends 
strictly  to  business  (which  does  not  necessarily  mean 
being  a  prig  or  snob)  who  is  punctual,  than  a  girl  who 
is  always  laughing  and  talking,  and  who  never  volun- 
teers to  do  anything  more  than  is  actually  required  of 
her.  It  may  become  tiresome  to  be  constantly  doing  a 
little  more  than  any  one  else,  to  work  harder  and  longer 
than  some  one  else,  but  perseverance  and  application  are 
the  greatest  factors  to  success. 

Another  important  factor  is  dress !  There  have  been 
seemingly  numberless  articles  written  on  this  subject 
and  yet  not  half  enough  has  been  said. 

Don't  overdress!  Don't  wear  pleasure  castoffs. 
Dress  sensibly!  Sensibly  does  not  mean  ugly  blouses 
with  uncompromisingly  stiff  collars,  and  hair  strained 
back  tightly  from  your  forehead.  'No  one  likes  to  have 
an  unattractive  girl  around, — of  men  especially  is  this 
true.  It  is  part  of  a  business  girl's  job  to  look  as  well 
as  she  possibly  can  without  going  into  debt  to  do  so. 

Dress  simply.  Wear  good  clothes,  suitable  to  your 
particular  job.  Have  your  hair  and  your  hands  as 
beautifully  taken  care  of  as  possible.  If  you  don't,  you 
can't  hold  a  job  in  a  perfectly  appointed  business  office 
even  if  you  could  get  it.  Remember  that  your  success 
is  going  to  depend  on  your  personal  appearance  as  well 
as  on  your  education,  capability  and  experience.  Just 
as  you  had  to  pay  for  the  latter  by  perseverance  and 


248  THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS 

hard  work,  so  you  can  gain  the  former,  if  you  do  not 
already  have  it,  hy  will  power,  observation  and  a  keen 
desire*  for  such  a  change. 

Girls  who  ultimately  go  into  business  for  themselves 
should  remember  that  they  must  set  an  example  for 
those  in  their  employ.  They  must,  therefore,  be  a  model 
of  good  taste  and  neatness.  Girls  who  become  modistes, 
milliners,  hairdressers,  etc.,  should  remember  that  their 
wares  and  ability  will  be  judged  by  their  customers 
from  their  own  appearance  and  that  of  their  assistants. 

Just  one  more  thought  before  we  proceed.  Don't 
think  that  when  you  enter  the  business  world  that  it  is 
merely  to  fill  in  the  time  between  your  school  days  and 
the  seemingly  halcyon  days  of  matrimony  which  every 
girl  believes  are  just  around  the  corner.  Give  to  your 
job  the  best  that  is  in  you,  you  are  being  paid  for 
definite  work  and  you  owe  it  to  yourself  and  your  em- 
ployer to  give  of  your  best  to  that  job.  No  girl  can 
definitely  count  on  matrimony  and  even  if  she  could, 
life  will  mean  more  to  her  if  she  has  done  her  job  in 
the  business  world.  Too  many  girls  take  matrimony 
for  granted,  it  passes  them  by  and  they  find  themselves 
at  thirty  in  a  position  little  higher  than  the  one  the^ 
held  at  eighteen. 

Daily  a  girl's  opportunities  in  the  business  world  are 
growing.  New  fields  of  endeavor  are  being  opened  to 
her  in  which  she  is  on  an  equality  with  men.  The  world 
is  constantly  progressing  and  with  that  progression  the 
'American  girl  is  finding  her  place  in  the  world. 


THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS  249 

But  a  girl  must  love  her  work  and  go  to  it  daily  with! 
a  light  heart  and  an  eagerness  to  really  succeed  which 
only  comes  through  keen  enjoyment.  If  she  loves  her 
work  it  is  half  the  battle;  and  if  not,  the  battle  is  lost 
before  one  shot  is  fired.  To  succeed,  she  must  be  sure 
of  herself,  confident  in  her  ability  and  appreciate  her 
own  worth. 

Today  as  never  before  has  the  girl  or  woman  with 
keen  intelligence,  the  ability  to  think  quickly,  to  grasp 
business  technicalities,  and  willingness  to  work,  hun- 
dreds of  opportunities  for  advancement  and  success. 
War  conditions  caused  a  new  era  in  woman's  work,  and 
for  the  first  time  since  her  advent  into  the  business 
and  professional  worlds  she  has  been  really  received 
as  a  man's  equal.  During  the  war  she  was  doing  a 
man's  work,  filling  an  absent  man's  job,  she  was  the 
heroine  of  the  hour,  and  therefore  she  was  a  man's 
equal.  Women  who  had  never  before  worked  for  their 
living  entered  some  business  and  succeeded.  It  was 
woman's  day !  Nothing  was  too  hard  or  impossible  for 
her.  Her  worth  was  proven ! 

Conductors,  elevator  runners,  ticket  choppers,  mes- 
senger girls,  bank  and  hotel  clerks,  shipyard  workers, 
munition  workers, — everywhere  women  were  perform- 
ing men's  work.  Business  houses  and  institutions  where 
women  had  never  crossed  the  threshold  as  employees, 
threw  open  wide  their  doors  to  and  welcomed  them  on  an 
equal  footing  with  men. 

But  now  the  war  is  over.     Daily  thousands  of  our 


250  THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS 

boys  are  being  mustered  out  of  camps  and  returning 
from  overseas.  They  are  returning  to  their  former 
occupations.  What  will  become  of  the  women  worker 
is  the  question  raised  on  every  side  ?  Some  will  be  only 
too  happy  to  return  to  their  own  firesides  but  others 
will  want  to  remain  in  the  business  world. 

However,  this  war  has  proven  two  things  as  far  as  the 
business  woman  is  concerned.  First,  that  women  can 
adequately  fill  certain  positions  heretofore  occupied  ex- 
clusively by  men,  who  now  can  direct  their  energies  in 
other  lines  where  they  would  be  more  useful  to  the 
world  and  to  themselves.  And  in  these  jobs  will  women 
remain.  Secondly,  that  the  slight  prejudice  which 
lingered  in  the  minds  of  many  about  women's  capabil- 
ities in  the  business  world  has  been  erased  from  the 
minds  of  even  the  most  skeptical. 

So  the  war  has  really  opened  many  avenues  of  em- 
ployment to  the  girl  who  has  her  living  to  earn.  It 
has  also  established  her  in  the  short  space  of  eighteen 
months  in  a  position  which  it  might  have  taken  her  years 
to  gain  otherwise.  Then,  too,  it  has  materially  increased 
salaries  which  will  without  doubt  continue. 

It  is  true  that  today  there  are  many  people,  men  and 
women,  in  pursuit  of  the  same  job.  However,  there  is 
always  a  place  for  the  girl  or  woman  who  is  "on  the 
job,"  willing  to  do  what  is  asked  of  her  and  having  the 
knowledge  required  of  her.  For  her  a  place  will  be 
made,  even  if  it  isn't  waiting.  Once  again  we  repeat 
the  words,  "  Success  depends  entirely  upon  oneself." 


THE  CITY  GIRL 

WHEN  one  considers  the  business  opportunities  open 
to  the  city  girl  and  those  of  her  country  cousin,  the 
advantages  seem  to  be  all  in  favor  of  the  former.  How 
many  girls  in  the  city  realize  this  ?  How  many  of  them 
appreciate  the  fact  that  opportunity  is  constantly  knock- 
ing at  their  door  ?  Comparatively  few,  we  fear. 

But,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  it  is,  in  nine  cases  out  of 
ten,  the  small-town  or  country-bred  girl  who  is  most 
successful  in  the  city.  Three  reasons  may  be  given  in 
explanation  of  this.  First,  the  out-of-town  girl  has  to 
depend  entirely  on  her  own  efforts  to  live;  if  she  does 
not  keep  her  position  and  advance,  she  cannot  eat  or 
have  a  roof  over  her  head,  so  she  strains  every  nerve 
toward  success.  The  city-bred  girl  usually  lives  at 
home,  and  is  at  least  sure  of  a  roof  over  her  head  and 
food  to  eat  if  she  is  out  of  a  job,  so  she  does  not  worry 
about  it  as  much  as  the  country  girl.  Secondly,  the  out- 
of-town  girl  who  has  gone  to  the  city  so  proudly,  hates 
to  return  home  and  admit  defeat.  Thirdly,  the  city 
girl  at  the  time  she  starts  to  go  to  business  is  just  at  the 
age  when  pleasure  appeals  to  her  most,  and  theaters, 
dances  and  dinners  may  mean  more  to  her  than  business. 
This  of  course  is  only  human  and  natural.  Yet  it 
distracts  her  from  her  daily  work.  The  out-of-town 

251 


252  THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS 

girl  does  not  know  so  many  city  people,  does  not  go  out 
so  much,  therefore  has  more  time  to  study  and  work 
toward  advancement.  Then  too  with  her  it  is  a  point  of 
pride  to  succeed.  With  her  it  is  "  sink  or  swim,"  so  she 
swims  more  valiantly  toward  the  shore  of  success  than 
perhaps  she  otherwise  would.  And  for  that  reason  it  is 
seldom  that  she  does  not  reach  the  shore. 

This  may  all  sound  unfair  and  untrue  to  the  city 
girl  who  believes  in  her  heart  that  she  is  as  ambitious 
as  any  one  else,  but  if  you  examine  the  lives  of  our  con- 
temporary successful  women  you  will  discover  that  few 
of  them  are  the  products  of  big  cities.  Fannie  Hurst, 
the  writer,  was  a  small-town  girl  who  suffered  and 
starved  and  slaved  before  she  attained  success.  Gladys 
Hanson,  the  star,  was  a  Southern  girl,  Hazel  Dawn 
came  from  the  West,  and  so  on.  But  they  tried  their 
wings  in  the  big  city  and  succeeded  because  they  dared 
not  fail. 

This  all  seems  an  argument  for  the  small-town  and 
country  girl  to  try  her  luck  in  the  big  city.  It  is  not. 
We  are  talking  generally  and  perhaps  there  are  many 
small-town  girls  who  never  reach  their  goal.  But  we 
are  trying  to  encourage  the  city  girl  to  make  her  job 
more  than  a  mere  bridge  between  school  and  matrimony ; 
to  make  it  one  of  the  big  things  in  her  life ;  and  to  work 
harder  for  success. 

The  city  girl  has  the  finest  public  schools,  colleges, 
business  and  art  schools,  in  fact  every  educational  ad- 
vantage at  her  disposal,  to  aid  her  on  the  road  to  sue- 


THE  CITY  GIRL  253 

cess.  She  has  the  largest  number  of  possible  fields  to 
select  from  and  the  greatest  amount  of  business  op- 
portunities. In  refutation  you  may  say  that  there  are 
as  many  people  looking  for  positions  as  there  are  posi- 
tions. But  remember,  that  every  girl  has  the  oppor- 
tunity to  make  herself  not  an  ordinary  worker  but  an 
extraordinary  worker,  so  that  her  services  will  be  sought 
and  she  will  not  have  to  seek.  Such  a  thing  is  not  only 
possible  but  also  probable. 

As  a  girl  reaches  the  point  in  life  where  she  must 
choose  a  means  to  earn  her  livelihood,  each  one  must 
face  her  own  problem,  and  ultimately  solve  it  for  her- 
self. We  can  only  advise  and  suggest,  but  within  each 
of  us  lies  the  motive  power  which  drives  us  to  success 
or  drags  us  down  to  failure. 

The  problem  of  the  city  girl  is  far  more  simple  and 
encouraging  than  that  of  the  small-town  or  country  girl, 
and  her  advantages  and  opportunities  are  greater.  If 
she  does  not  grasp  them  it  is  her  loss.  If  she  does,  she 
is  on  the  road  to  success.  In  any  case,  she  must  answer 
to  herself  for  her  ultimate  failure  or  success. 


THE  SMALL-TOWN  GIRL 

IN  the  whole  United  States,  there  are,  relatively 
speaking,  few  cities  in  comparison  with  the  number  of 
towns  of  from  1000  to  5000  inhabitants.  Many  of  these 
towns  are  within  easy  access  of  a  city,  and  it  seems  to 
be  the  desire  of  many  girls  to  go  into  the  big  city  to 
work. 

"Now  youthful  yearning  for  adventure  and  new  inter- 
ests is  most  natural.  But  it  may  be  you  can  get  this 
without  the  cost  and  sacrifice  of  living  in  the  city. 
Maybe  you  can  find  work  in  your  own  town  and  take 
your  holidays  in  the  city.  Work  in  a  small  town  is 
likely  to  be  done  under  much  less  trying  conditions  than 
in  the  city,  so  that  you  can  keep  your  health  and  your 
youth  many  years  longer  than  if  you  entered  the  rush 
and  turmoil  of  a  metropolis. 

There  are  many  positions  open  to  you  if  you  but 
search  them  out  in  your  own  town.  Though  you  may 
think  the  salaries  are  larger  in  the  city,  by  the  time 
you  deduct  carfare,  lunches  and  the  general  expense  of 
city  living  you  will  find  that  even  from  the  financial 
point  of  view  the  bigger  salary  is  not  the  best  one. 

When  you  have  chosen  the  occupation  you  wish  to 
pursue,  if  you  find  it  impossible  to  study  it  in  your  own 
home  town,  go  to  the  nearest  city  to  the  best  school  you 
can  afford.  Then  come  home  with  your  knowledge  and 

254 


THE  SMALL  TOWN  GIRL  255 

help  to  improve  that  home  town  of  yours.  Find  out 
what  ideal  conditions  are  and  be  one  to  bring  them 
about 

There  is  a  glamor  of  romance  and  mystery  about  the 
white  lights  and  throngs  of  the  great  cities.  But  this 
alone  will  not  interest  any  girl  for  life.  Finally  she 
will  want  friends  and  acquaintances,  and  lacking  them 
she  will  face  the  greatest  terror  in  the  world — loneliness. 
If  she  has  not  the  courage  to  go  back  home  and  find 
work  there,  she  will  stay  in  the  great  friendless,  unkind 
city,  longing  for  friends  and  neighbors  which  she  ac- 
cepted as  a  matter  of  course  in  the  little  home  town. 

The  girl  who  commutes,  of  course  lives  at  home,  but 
if  the  distance  is  far,  she  may  find  that  the  strain  of 
an  hour  or  so  twice  a  day  on  the  train  drains  her  health 
and  empties  her  pocketbook. 

In  every  town  or  even  village  there  are  stores  where 
salesgirls  and  cashiers  are  needed.  There  is  not  any 
special  training  necessary  and  sometimes  a  girl  is  paid 
more  than  for  the  same  work  in  a  city. 

A  public  stenographer  could  make  her  own  niche;  a 
dressmaker  or  milliner  with  an  eye  to  the  fashions;  a 
photographer  who  will  also  develop  for  amateurs, — all 
of  these  may  reap  well  of  what  they  have  sown  if  they 
start  in  business  in  their  own  town. 

We  all  owe  a  certain  duty  to  the  community  in  which 
we  were  born  and  raised,  a  duty  to  give  to  it  the  best 
in  us  in  return  for  what  it  has  done  for  us.  In  most 
cases  it  has  educated  us,  perhaps  even  supported  us  for 


256  THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS 

many  years.  When  our  time  comes  let  us  return  in  as 
great  measure  as  we  can  what  it  has  given  to  us. 

When  you  grow  up  and  are  working,  accept  certain 
responsibilities  and  obligations  in  your  home,  and  in 
return  will  come  grown-up  privileges.  Too  often  young 
people  who  stay  at  home  want  the  irresponsibility  of 
their  childhood  and  the  advantages  of  adult  age.  That 
is  as  unfair  as  the  other  extreme,  when  the  grown-up 
daughter  earning  her  own  living  and  helping  with  the 
home  expenses  is  given  no  opportunity  to  live  her  own 
individual  life  as  an  adult  human  being. 

If  in  your  own  home  town  you  can  find  a  place  for 
yourself  or  make  one,  you  stand  a  chance  for  sweeter 
success  among  known  and  tried  friends  than  the  same 
success  would  bring  among  strangers. 

If  no  opening  exists  for  you  there  and  your  intel- 
ligent effort  makes  that  opening,  you  will  have  done 
much  better  with  your  life  than  if  you  went  into  a  great 
city  among  the  thousands  already  struggling  there, 
where  competition  is  exceedingly  keen,  and  where  in  an 
emergency  like  sickness,  or  lack  of  work,  you  may  suf- 
fer cruelly  without  any  interested  person  trying  to  help 
you.  At  home  during  any  such  crisis  your  family  and 
friends  as  a  matter  of  course  look  after  your  welfare. 

In  deciding  between  the  town  or  the  city  remember 
all  these  things.  If  you  have  much  imagination  you 
may  see  how  they  are  going  to  weigh  in  the  balance  of 
your  life.  If  you  haven't,  you  may  have  to  learn  by 
experience. 


THE  SMALL  TOWN  GIRL  257 

Don't  be  afraid  to  change  your  course  when  you  see 
you  have  made  a  mistake.  It  isn't  brave  and  courageous 
to  keep  on  doing  something  you  find  you  are  not  fitted 
for.  It  is  only  stubborn  or  weak.  Strong  people  are 
not  afraid  to  change  their  opinions  when  shown  either 
by  experience  or  in  any  other  way  that  they  have  been 
mistaken.  If  you  go  to  the  City  and  find  you  can't 
succeed  there,  don't  be  ashamed  to  go  back  to  your 
home  town  and  begin  over  there.  That  will  be  far 
more  courageous  than  to  stay  in  the  city,  a  hopeless 
failure. 

Whatever  work  you  do  and  wherever  you  do  it,  make 
up  your  mind  that  you  will  leave  in  it  some  contribution 
entirely  your  own,  in  the  way  of  making  the  work  easier 
or  the  conditions  under  which  it  is  done  happier  and 
better  for  the  workers  who  come  after  you. 


THE  COUNTRY  GIRL 

THE  problem  which  the  country  girl  must  face  is 
often  a  much  more  difficult  one  than  that  of  either 
the  city  or  small-town  girl.  When  the  country  girl  lives 
within  a  few  miles  by  train  or  trolley  of  a  city,  her 
situation  is  not  greatly  different  from  her  city  sister's. 
But  when  she  is  isolated  from  neighbors  by  five  or 
six  miles,  practically  cut  off  from  easy  communication 
with  towns,  she  will  have  to  have  much  perseverance  to 
fit  herself  into  a  niche  in  the  work  world. 

The  readiest  opening  for  the  country  girl  who  wants 
or  has  to  earn  her  own  living,  is  that  of  home  maker. 
In  a  good  farming  community  this  is  not  degraded 
drudgery,  but  on  the  contrary  may  offer  fine  possibil- 
ities of  association  with  agreeable  friends  and  real  ac- 
quaintanceships. 

When  the  "  hired  girl  "  in  the  country  home  marries 
the  son  of  the  family,  as  she  often  does,  she  knows  her 
mate  better  at  the  altar  than  the  average  wife  after 
months  of  married  life.  Moreover,  the  lack  of  class  dis- 
tinction which  often  in  the  country  makes  the  "  hired 
girl "  one  of  the  family,  makes  it  possible  for  her  good 
qualities  and  ability  to  be  reckoned  quite  at  their  human 
value. 

If  she  has  perseverance  and  initiative  the  country; 

258 


THE  COUNTRY  GIRL  259 

girl  who  does  not  care  for  housework  can  find  openings 
for  self  support  even  in  remote  communities.  There 
is  the  village  post  office,  for  instance.  It  is  not  unusual, 
especially  in  the  West,  for  a  woman  to  receive  appoint- 
ment as  postmistress.  The  position  is  not  an  arduous 
one,  and  although  the  salary  is  not  large,  it  is  sufficient 
to  support  a  girl. 

Then  there  are  few,  if  any,  villages  in  the  United 
States  today, — especially  those  which  are  attractive  for 
their  beautiful  scenery — which  the  jaded  city  dwellers 
do  not  seek  out  in  the  hot  summer  months.  A  country 
girl  may  earn  enough  during  the  summer  vacation  from 
city  boarders  to  make  her  financially  independent  for 
the  rest  of  the  year,  or  to  at  least  add  a  substantial  sum 
to  the  nest  egg  she  is  gathering  for  her  education,  for 
a  trip  to  the  city  to  look  over  new  possibilities  for  work, 
or  perhaps  for  her  trousseau. 

City  folks  love  home-made  candies,  cakes  and  cookies, 
ice  cream,  buttermilk,  daintily  served  fresh  fruits,  salads 
and  above  all  good  home-made  bread.  Two  or  three 
girls  could  open  a  little  store  or  tea  and  lunch  room 
and  sell  their  own  cooking  or  the  products  of  their 
own  gardens. 

If  a  girl  be  clever  she  could  make  her  own  post- 
cards to  sell  also.  The  touch  of  a  local  person  who 
knows  the  prettiest  spots  of  the  locality  will  be  of 
added  value  in  the  pictures.  A  girl  who  can  use  a 
camera  to  advantage,  will  make  money  with  her  post- 
cards if  she  chooses  subjects  which  photograph  well. 


260  THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS 

If  the  time  and  ingenuity  for  postcard  making  is  lack- 
ing, there  are  postcard  firms  who  will  make  cards  of 
any  locality  very  reasonably  and  sell  them  wholesale. 

Then,  too,  the  girl  who  understands  a  camera  and 
developing,  can  always  do  developing  and  printing 
for  the  amateur  photographer.  Practically  every  one 
owns  a  camera  and  takes  dozens  of  pictures  in  a  sum- 
mer. This  field  is  a  lucrative  one  and  for  the  girl 
who  understands  it,  will  mean  quite  a  sum  of  money 
each  summer. 

If  her  village  is  on  a  lake  or  river,  a  girl  could  rent 
row  boats  and  canoes  by  the  hour  and  perhaps  act  as 
teacher  to  those  inexperienced  on  the  water.  Whatever 
she  does,  let  her  remember  that  a  very  simple  but  effec- 
tive appropriate  costume  will  add  much  to  her  popular- 
ity and  therefore  to  her  proceeds,  especially  if  her  cus- 
tomers are  summer  boarders.  When  people  are  bent 
on  pleasure  they  gladly  pay  for  a  touch  of  the  pictur- 
esque, provided  it  is  not  overdone.  The  picturesque  de- 
pends far  more  on  a  natural  instinct  than  on  the  amount 
of  money  one  spends. 

If  a  girl  is  an  expert  swimmer  she  can  always  teach 
the  youngsters  how  to  swim  or  superintend  their  antics 
in  the  water.  A  good  swimming  instructor  can  demand 
a  good  price  for  a  lesson. 

If  a  girl  can  get  away  from  home  to  go  to  a  Normal 
school  there  is  little  doubt  that  after  graduating  she 
could  secure  the  school  in  her  own  district  at  home. 
Even  if  the  salary  is  very  small  as  it  unfortunately  often 


THE  COUNTRY  GIRL  261 

is,  it  will  insure  her  a  better  income  than  a  larger  one 
would  if  she  were  living  away  from  home  in  a  large  city; 
where  board  is  expensive. 

So  far  we  have  been  talking  of  the  little  country  girl 
who  is  willing  to  stay  at  home.  But  there  is  the  other 
girl  too,  who  is  not  willing,  and  who  wishes  to  enter  a 
field  of  work  which  her  home  environment  makes  im- 
possible,— the  girl  who  dreams  the  long  dreams  of 
youth,  dreams  of  fame  and  glory  and  an  activity  at  once 
interesting,  useful  and  happy. 

When  the  reality  comes,  hard  work  which  is  often 
unappreciated,  poorly  paid  and  perhaps  tedious  to  the 
point  of  desperation  in  contrast  with  her  roseate  dream, 
will  often  make  her  cry.  But  if  she  has  the  courage  and 
wisdom  to  learn  lessons  of  life  from  every  experience, 
she  will  not  stop  dreaming  but  finally  learn  to  make  her 
dream  come  true. 

Remember,  first  of  all,  when  you  are  leaving  the  big 
old-fashioned  farmhouse,  with  its  open  fireplaces  and 
exquisite  cleanliness,  that  your  home  for  many  years  to 
come  will  probably  be  a  small  hall  bedroom,  stuffy  and 
never  quite  clean.  Remember,  too,  that  if  you  exchange 
the  delicious,  abundant  home  cooking  of  your  mother's 
table  for  cheap  restaurants  and  boarding  house  fare 
that  you  will  find  so  little  to  suit  your  appetite  that 
even  when  hungry  you  will  sometimes  be  unable  to 
eat 

Remember  too,  that  there  are  hundreds  of  girls,  born 
and  bred  in  the  city,  striving  for  their  living  and  if  the 


262  THE  GIRL  IN  BUSINESS 

city  proves  a  difficult  proposition  for  them  what  will  it 
prove  to  you  ? 

Remember  also,  that  the  trained  worker,  is  the  only 
one  who  will  succeed,  so  don't  come  to  the  city  prepared 
"  to  do  anything !  "  You  will  end  in  a  factory  earn- 
ing $6  or  maybe  $7  a  week,  an  unskilled  worker,  while 
the  roses  in  your  cheeks  fade  and  you  are  afraid, 
ashamed  to  go  back  and  say  that  you  have  failed. 

And  remember  first,  last  and  always  that  no  matter 
what  financial  success  you  may  attain,  if  you  lose  your 
health  and  happiness  in  the  pursuit  of  that  success  you 
have  gained  absolutely  nothing. 

It  would  be  wise  to  take  all  this  into  consideration 
before  you  decide  to  leave  home.  If  you  then  believe 
that  the  experience  and  development  which  new  sur- 
roundings and  work  will  bring  can  compensate  for  cut- 
ting home  and  friendship  ties,  it  is  your  right  to  try 
your  wings. 

However,  if  she  goes  to  the  city  armed  with  a  diploma 
of  her  chosen  profession,  the  badge  of  her  competency, 
and  enough  money  to  keep  her  going  till  she  has  attained 
a  position  of  trust,  then  the  country  girl  stands  an  even 
chance  of  success  with  her  city  sister. 

If  a  girl  has  the  money,  desire  and  opportunity  to 
train  for  a  profession,  or  study  an  art,  let  her  think  well 
before  she  spends  the  necessary  years  in  preparation. 
If  medicine  or  dentistry  is  her  choice  there  isn't  any 
reason  why  she  shouldn't  go  back  to  her  home  town  to 
practise  in  her  own  community  instead  of  trying  to 


THE  COUNTRY  GIRL  263 

break  into  the  overcrowded  ranks  of  that  profession  in 
the  city. 

Above  all,  the  country  girl  must  "  work  out  her  own 
salvation."  People  can  assist  her,  but  the  actual  solving 
she  must  do  herself.  She  is  so  much  the  better  equipped 
for  life  if  she  has  a  school  or  college  training  before  she 
enters  the  ranks  of  the  wage  earners.  That  will  in- 
troduce her  to  a  larger  social  life  than  she  would  have 
met  at  home  and  broadened  her  before  her  life  work 
begins. 

One  final  word  of  advice :  whether  you  leave  the  home 
nest  to  try  your  wings  in  the  city,  or  town,  never  be  too 
foolishly  proud  to  fly  home  again  if  necessity,  temporary 
or  lasting,  requires  it. 

And  most  important  of  all,  let  your  ideas  of  life  and 
living  expand  and  grow  as  you  yourself  gain  success. 
For  no  girl  is  worth  while  in  this  world  whose  ideals 
do  not  grow  with  her. 


INDEX 


Accountant,  21 
Actress,  200 
Advance  Agent,  59 
Advertising  Agent,  53 
Agency  Work,  44 
Architect,  177 
Arts  and  the  Girl,  169 

Bacteriologist,  130 
Biscuit  Maker,  216 
Booking  Agent,  62 
Bookkeeper,  19 
Business  Field,  the,  3 
Buyer,  30 

Cafe*  Cashier,  41 
Candy  Maker,  214 
Cashier,  22 
Cash  Girl,  25 
Cigarette  Maker,  219 
City  Girl,  the,  251 
Clothing  Maker,  214 
Commercial  Traveler,  103 
Costume  Illustrator,  183 
Country  Girl,  the,  258 

Department  Store    Workers,  25 
Demonstrator,  34 
Dentist,  125 
Desk  Clerk,  40 
Detective,  99 
Dictaphone  Operator,  9 
Dietitian,  110 
Dressmaker,  85 

Elevator  Operator,  72 
Employment  Agent,  45 

Factory  Workers,  208 
Farmer,  243 
File  Clerk,  7 
Floor  Clerk,  39 


Florist,  76 
Food  Checker,  41 

Girl  in  Business,  the,  245 

Hair  Dresser,  92 
Hat  Maker,  221 
Home  Maker,  106 
Hotel  Workers,  38 

Insurance  Agent,  50 
Interior  Decorator,  172 

Jeweler,  170 

Landscape  Gardener,  174 
Laundry  Workers,  232 
Lawyer,  163 
Librarian,  159 
Linotyper,  230 

Magazine  Illustrator,  185 

Manicurist,  94 

Milliner,  88 

Model,  80 

Monotyper,  230 

Motion  Picture  Business,  235 

Multigrapher,  10 

Musician,  193 

Newspaper  Woman,  133 
Novelty  Painter,  188 
Nurse,  115 

Oculist,  123 
Office  Girl,  6 
Paper  Box  Maker,  212 
Pharmacist,  128 
Photographer,  181 
Physician,  120 
Pianist,  198 
Press  Agent,  56 


266 


266 


INDEX 


Printing  and  Binding  Workers, 

228 

Private  Secretary,  17 
Professional  Shopper,  32 
Professional  Woman,  the,  106 
Public  Stenographer,  15 

Real  Estate  Agent,  48 
Room  Clerk,  40 

Saleswoman,  27 
Scenic  Artist,  190 
Small  Town  Girl,  the,  254 
Social  Worker,  113 
Statistician,  166 


Stenographer,  11 
Stenotypist,  9 
Stock  Girl,  27 

Teacher,  149 
Tea  Room  Manager,  73 
Telegraph  Operator,  69 
Telephone  Operator,  66 
Theater  Treasurer,  96 
Typist,  8 

Usher,  98 

Waitress,  41 
Writer,  137 


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